Get Out of My Head
by Andreathewriter
Summary: Naomi's past is a dark place that she has kept secret for years. Telling anyone about it would mean putting them in danger as well. When she meets one person who seems to effortlessly see through her facade, will Naomi be able to protect her as well?
1. Chapter 1: The Girl Who Lived

**A/N: I was shit with the summary so the fact that you even clicked on this, I am grateful for(': This first chapter is a bit of a prologue…anyways, I'll let you get to reading.**

**Get Out of My Head**  
><strong> Chapter 1: The Girl Who Lived<strong>

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><p>Heat. Her tiny face feels it clinging to her and she can't seem to escape it. It's almost unbearable even while she buries her face into his shoulders. She lets out a small whimper that would otherwise be inaudible due to the fact that he's carrying her.<p>

"Hush now Naomi. We're almost free."

Not knowing whether this will be the last she sees of it, she musters up her remaining courage and sneaks one last peek at her home. What's left of it anyways. The fire has gulped up everything and anything in its path. The house is now one giant torch igniting the night sky, demanding attention. The houses surrounding it have only recently been made aware of the event and there are neighbors on their front lawns, still in their sleepwear, gaping at the terrifying spectacle. Naomi is too far away to make out specifics but she's almost positive she sees JJ standing among them, rubbing his eyelids from sleep that he has not yet shaken off. But before she can conclude if it's him or not, he is whisked away by what she assumes is his mother, into the house to the right of hers. Confirming her speculations of it being JJ.

"Kieran?" Her voice is rough. The smoke still finds its way into her not-yet-fully-grown lungs, even at the distance they are from the house. A distance that grows with every stride of the man's legs.

"Yes little one?" Kieran puffs out as he tries to keep a fast past for the both of them. But he struggles, as they transfer from soft grass to the unleveled terrain of the woods. Random tree roots and bushes make the man's swift gait turn into an ungraceful, rugged, shuffle.

"Do you think they made it out?" She sounds sincere in her question but in the back of her mind, Naomi knows the answer. Asking Kieran she hopes will somehow magically change the reality. That he'll say "Of course!" and her loved ones will appear from the bushes and behind the trees and they'll laugh about this and make a good story of it to tell at the next family reunion. But of course, she can only wish.

"No love. They're gone now." He answers her gently, knowing it won't sink in now but it will hit the girl in the face like a wrecking ball in a couple of days. Grief works differently with children, he's noticed.

"So it's just you and me then?"

"Just you and me against the world kid." Naomi muses at the thought of her and Kieran literally against the world. _We'd lose. _She thinks. As she ponders to herself, Kieran wonders if she realizes how much her life is about to change. The crack of a twig makes him stop in his tracks. Naomi is oblivious to it. Her eyes still set on the inferno in the distance. He tightens his grip on her and looks around. Eyes scanning the area, ears searching for any sound that indicates they are not alone. They hadn't been followed had they? He had made sure they weren't being followed. But he cannot get comfortable now, he must be cautious. Adrenaline pulsing through his veins, he inches one step forward. Then another, and another.

"Kieran, why are you-" Naomi starts but is silenced by Kieran's palm, planting firmly on her mouth. A myriad of different scenarios play through his head. If they were to be attacked from the left, the right, behind, above, with a knife, gun, more than one person, even if the person was unarmed he would already know what to do. In each scenario, not even a finger would be laid on Naomi, that's for sure. He widens his stance, tenses his muscles and every limb in anticipation for the brawl that is sure to come. His breathing is steady but even Naomi can feel his heart pounding. Another twig breaks. It's coming from their right. Kieran turns in direction towards the sound and his eyes franticly search of the figure making its way towards them. The only thing eliminating the woods is the specs of moonlight that make their way through the trees and the eerie glow from the burning house that somehow still makes its way to them. It's just enough to see it. It's short. It's got brown hair and…a tail?

"Domino!" Naomi squeals in delight. She releases herself from an astonished Kieran and runs over to kneel by her loving animal. "See! Domino made it out! Maybe they did too! Well…maybe. Dominos a lot smarter than them. Aren't you boy?" She exclaims as the dog barks back in response and licks the side of her face various times, drenching it in slobber.  
>Kieran calms himself and his heart rate returns to normal.<p>

"That mutt was seconds away from death. He's lucky my eyesight is impeccable or his neck would've been wringed before he could-"

"We're taking him with us." She interrupts him while standing up, Domino at her side. Kieran looks at her like she's grown a second head.

"I don't know about that…maybe-"

"It wasn't a question." She interrupts him for what feels like the hundredth time of the night. This time when he looks at her, her arms are crossed and she's glaring at him with those blue orbs that seem to shatter his tough exterior. Funny how just seconds ago she seemed so vulnerable in his arms, holding onto him for dear life. But now she's a different person. The frightened 10 year old Naomi is gone. Replacing her is a different Naomi, the one he usually sees. The stubborn one. The one who's determined to get her way. The one who picks at people for debate, just because she knows she'll always win. The one who although she'll never admit it, has the biggest heart he's ever known. Most people see her acts as a sign of hard headedness and rude. But Kieran's not stupid. He knows Naomi's actions are for a totally different reason. She cares about people. She hates injustice and she'll go to hell and back to make sure someone gets treated right; and here she is. Standing her ground for a Basset Hound that's as old as she is. He sighs.

"Alright. Make sure the thought of barking doesn't even cross his mind or its *KERK*." His hands make the motion of him wringing Dominos neck. Naomi seems unphased by the gesture and turns to Domino, kneeling to his level.

While Naomi has her exchange with the dog, Kieran takes a quick glance at the house. If it can even be called that now. The firefighters have already arrived and are struggling to tame the fire. An ambulance is just now pulling in and are checking for injured. Kieran furrows his brow together and purses his lips. He knows they won't find anyone they need to help…  
>He snaps himself out of it. They have to keep moving. He turns back to Naomi who is standing up and trying to ignore what lies behind her.<p>

"Let's go then." She says. As Kieran nods and starts to turn away, he is stopped abruptly by a tugging on his shirt. "Kieran?" He turns back around to see Naomi looking up at him with her shoulders hunched, her eyes only meeting his for briefly and then shooting away.

"What is it, love?" He asks softly, recognizing her sudden change in demeanor. Her head doesn't move from its tilted down position but her eyes meet his. Slowly she extends her arms to him, wanting to be carried. A soft smile forms on Kieran's face as he graciously picks her up; ignoring the protest from his arms and legs.

"But you know," Kieran starts as they continue to walk, "I won't have to carry you for long."  
>Although Kieran can't see it, Naomi's face has shifted to a rather confused look. The corners of her mouth pulled severely down, nose wrinkling just a tad and if her eyebrows came any closer to each other they'd fuse into one.<p>

"What? Why?" She asks, her confusion present even in her voice. Kieran smirks to himself and winks at Domino, who seems to know of his intention. Kieran whistles a quick 3 note whistle and Domino immediately starts running ahead of the two. "Domino! Come back!" Naomi cries as she sees her clumsy dog run and is about to jump out of Kieran's arms to chase after him but before she can, he stops her.

"Don't mind him love. He knows what he's doing. He's actually finding us our destination." Kieran keeps his eyes on Domino who is sniffing at the ground about a hundred meters ahead of them. He finds what he's looking for and starts barking at Kieran.

"Domino! Kieran said not to bark you-!"

"Naomi it's okay, I told him to go look for something. He's found it now which is why he's barking. I'm not going to wring his neck…yet."

"Is what he found the same reason why you won't have to carry me for long?" Naomi questions Kieran as he smirks at his joke and sets Naomi down, who immediately wraps her hand around Kieran's pointer finger on his right hand.

"Yes. You didn't think we'd just run into the woods with nowhere to go did you?"  
>Actually, that's exactly what Naomi was thinking. She had no idea Kieran had something planned…she didn't think anyone had anything planned for what happened…she blinks hard and shakes the thoughts from her head. Instead, she looks expectantly at Domino who is digging vigorously at the ground.<p>

Naomi doesn't realize she never answered his question but Kieran catches her silence and can tell she's thinking. He leaves her too it.

As they stride closer to Domino, his digging stops abruptly, the dirt ending and metal taking its place. Domino looks up excitedly at the two, seemingly wanting a reward. "I don't have any treats on me right now Domino. I assure you, that you'll get your prize." The dog barks in response and moves back, to make way for Kieran.

Naomi watched the exchange take place and still came up with no answers. She would usually hate sounding naïve in front of anybody but given the circumstances at the moment, she didn't really care.

"What is it?" She asked gesturing to the metal doorway like thing, lying at their feet. It was buried in a sizable layer of dirt that had been quickly cleared away by Domino, and hidden under thick bushes. Almost as if, someone wouldn't want it to be found.

"Ah, you'll find out soon enough." Kieran grabbed the latch that was attached to it and lifted it up revealing a staircase that went downward about 10 steps. She could faintly see a light at the bottom of the stairs.

"Are we…?" Naomi asked, staring at the tunnel. Kieran nodded his head. Child Naomi returned. Her eyes soften and are unsure. Her hands come together and she picks at her nails while she remains hesitant to enter. Kieran catches sight of this hesitance and takes her hand in his.

"You've trusted me this far."

"Yeah but-" Kieran holds up his hand to stop her.

"I would never let anything happen to you Naomi Campbell. You should know that by now." He pauses as Naomi chews on her bottom lip. It's something he's seen her do countless times before, but every time she does it…the resemblance shows. He inhales deeply. "Everything's gunna be fine. Trust me; and if it's not, I'll let you wring _my _neck." The last part makes Naomi giggle. Her eyes are lit up again and there is no more hesitation.  
>"You promise I can wring your neck?" She asks, still smiling.<br>Kieran smirks "Cross my heart and hope-"

"For pie!" They finish the last part together. It is their saying after all. Naomi's walks over and starts taking the first few steps into the tunnel. She's followed by Domino but Kieran stays behind. "Kieran…" She asks suddenly horrified at the thought of him leaving.  
>"Calm yourself Naomi, I'm just making sure when I close the damn- uh <em>darn<em>thing, that it won't be visible. Don't want them finding us right?" Naomi violently shakes her head. Kieran returns and closes the door. They walk down the steps and as they reach the bottom Naomi takes in her surroundings. The tunnel is completely made of metal and goes on for what looks like miles. Right at the end of the staircase there is a key pad. Kieran strolled over to it and punched in a 6 digit code.

_"Please enter todays date." _Said a womanly computer voice.

Kieran turns to face Naomi. "What's todays date?"

Naomi checks her watch. "November 17th 2000."

**A/N: Review? There's loads more to come and since this is the prologue, the next chapter will be sort of present day.  
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	2. Chapter 2:Performance Worthy of an Oscar

**Get Out of My Head**

**Chapter 2: Performance worthy of an Oscar Nomination.**

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><p>The memory creeps up on Naomi while she waits in a room that would be otherwise empty if not for an elderly woman with a toddler. She shoves the memory out before it can continue. She's 21 now. She can't keep sulking about things that happened long ago. Which is exactly why she doesn't want to be here. The only reason she's sitting here, in this waiting room, putting up with judgmental glares from the elderly woman sitting across from her is because of Chris. He had told her she needed counseling. If he wasn't her best friend, she would've slapped him so hard his grandchildren would've felt it. Naomi knows Chris is only trying to help, but he doesn't even know the real problem. He thinks Naomi keeps people at a distance. Which is true but if only he knew why, he would run as far away from her as humanly possible.<p>

"Aw you know ol' Chrissy knows best Naoms!" He told her when he suggested the counselor. In all honesty Chris _does_know Naomi best, he knows her well enough to see she keeps people at arm's length, but it's not much compared to normal best friend standards. Even after all these years of knowing each other Chris might as well refer to Naomi as a stranger instead of his best friend. Sure, he knows her mannerisms, her favorite food, music tastes and all the things a best friend should know. He's had a good 9 years to pick up on them. But a best friend should know a person's past, and Chris has no idea about Naomi's. Anything he does know is a lie.

_It's for the best. He's safer if he doesn't know. _She thinks to herself. But now she's going to have to make up some bullshit to this therapist. _Counselor. _She corrects herself. Chris said therapists prescribe drugs and Naomi's only here to be consoled, not drugged. There's nothing mentally unstable about her,

"Ya just need to learn how to open your arms and accept the hug." Chris assured her. If only that was true. There's so much Naomi wishes she could tell Chris, so maybe he could understand that she doesn't need to be here and that he's got it all wrong. It's not that she chooses not to let him or anyone else in…she's just protecting them by keeping them away. Sometimes she wonders whether Chris is dangerously close. Naomi was too caught up in her thinking to realize that the elderly woman and the toddler have left. The toddler's mother, whose appointment was the one before Naomi's, had come out of the room and they had all left. Leaving Naomi and her dark thoughts.

She was shaken from her internal debate by the sound of heels clicking against the floor and making their way towards her. Naomi was suddenly reminded of her surroundings and threw her satchel over her shoulder, getting up in anticipation for which she assumed would be the counselor. She hadn't even thought of the bullshit story she would give the counselor yet.

"Fuck…" She hissed under her breath as her hand shot up to the top of her head and run itself through her blonde hair. _Maybe a teenage sob story? _It would be simple; she fell in love as a teenager, got her heart broken and never trusted people again. The therapist-counselor- would nod her head, and explain that not everyone is like that. Naomi would fake an epiphany and cry for a couple minutes and thank them for helping her realize how wrong she'd been all these years. One hour of the best acting she could muster and this would all be behind them. The clicking of heels suddenly stopped and Naomi looked up to see a figure standing at the doorway. Shocked would be an understatement. This is not the vision of the counselor she had in her mind at all…

Purple hair, 5 inch heels, too many pearls to count, a skirt that and blouse so tight that they left nothing to the imagination, (not to mention the skirt was cheetah print) and enough cleavage showing that Naomi felt herself blushing FOR the woman. "Are you…" The woman looked down at her clipboard and scoffed when she read what was sure to be Naomi's name. "Naomi Campbell?" She smirked and gave Naomi a once over. Someone laughing at her name? Oh that's new. Catching the woman's gaze trailing down her body, Naomi became suddenly irritated.

"Yes, I am." Naomi said confidently. The woman seemed amused by the blonde's attempt at being blasé about it all. "You know I figured you being a counselor and all, you'd be less judgmental." Naomi spat, voicing her thoughts. Instead of the witty comeback Naomi was expecting from the woman, she got laughter. The purple haired, cheetah wearing, cleavage exposing counselor was laughing at her. Naomi wondered if maybe this woman needed counseling herself…or maybe even a therapist. "May I ask what's so fucking funny?"  
>The woman regained herself and wiped of a tear that had formed from her laughing fit.<p>

"Hate to burst your bubble but I'm not the counselor babes. Although I'd be a top notch one if you ask me." The purple haired woman spoke and Naomi caught a slight lisp.

"Oh? Then who is?" She was embarrassed enough as it is but she had to say, she was a bit relieved that this woman wasn't the counselor. An hour with her would probably do her more bad than good. _You're not really here for help. You're going to fake it all. _Naomi reminded herself.

"My sister. Come on, she'll see you now." With that she started to turn out the door and down the corridor. When Naomi didn't follow she walked back in. "You gonna stand there all day?" Naomi rolled her eyes and walked behind the woman. She hadn't noticed, but even with the heels, this woman was actually very short. Would her sister be as short? Would her sister dress as revoltingly slutty as her…? Naomi's thoughts we're cut short by the woman in front her stopping in front a door that read:

Dr. Emily Fitch  
>Emotional Counselor<p>

"Fitch? I'd take Campbell any day." Naomi mused as she read the door.

"Yeah maybe but definitely not if it's preceded by Naomi." The woman countered. _Touché. _Naomi thought. "Whatever, you're the last appointment so tell my sister I'm done for the day yeah? Got a hot date you know?" She winked at the last part and Naomi nodded to humor her. She reached for the door handle but was stopped by the woman's hand on her shoulder. "Katie by the way." Naomi assumed she meant that was her name.

"It's a pleasure Katie, really." The blonde said with her voice drenched in sarcasm that seemed to go unnoticed by Katie. "Good luck on that date."

"Babes I don't need luck for-"

"I meant for the guy, he's gonna need it. Try not to give him a heart attack?" Naomi added a wink for good measure that seemed to boost Katie's confidence even higher. _If that's possible._

"You know it! See you around Naomi." Katie beamed as she turned around and started down the corridor. Naomi chuckled to herself and shook her head. Turned the knob, and entered into Dr. Emily Fitch's office. What awaited her on the other side made Naomi's breath hitch. This shouldn't even be called an office; the word sanctuary would be more appropriate, not quite fitting but more appropriate. From the moment she stepped into the room, Naomi felt instantly relieved. All her troubles, all her worries, the pain, the loss, the fear we're all removed from her thoughts. She scanned the room to see what made her feel this way. She hadn't felt like this in a long time. Years maybe. This definitely wasn't a normal room; Naomi could tell it was designed to pacify who ever walked in.

There we're two different sides. To her left, it was entirely white. The walls, the furniture, even the floor was white carpet. But it wasn't the kind of white that made you feel like you were insane. No. It was a white that made you feel like you we're transferred to a different dimension. A calmer one. Where nothing mattered. On this side was an all-white desk with a grand chair behind it. It too of course, was white. Still to her left was also a classic fainting couch. The kind that we're always seen in movies and shows with therapist scenes. Apparently counselors use them as well. The fainting couch was at an odd position because it lay as far from the desk as the left side of the room would allow, and behind its head rest was small chair. Naomi assumed that Emily would sit in that chair, with the person being counseled, laying on the fainting couch, facing away from her but her facing them. _How cliché. _She thought. This side was simple. Soothing, nonetheless but simple. She turned to the right side of the room. It was like looking at another world.

The right side of the room had a different mood than the left. The differences were striking, starting with the floor, it wasn't carpet but instead it was dark linoleum wood flooring. There we're bamboo plants all around and the walls were painted beige but with all the paintings and decorations, the color was the last thing you noticed. Some of the paintings were done straight onto the wall. On the floor, there were various beanbags and pillows that were obviously for sitting. The only real furniture on this side of the room was an oval shaped chair that hung from a chain connected to the ceiling, but it wasn't one of the futuristic looking ones. This one looked like it was made out of bamboo or some kind of weave-able straw. Inside of it, there was a comfy looking periwinkle cushion. Naomi made a mental note to sit in that first.

Then she noticed that on that same side of the room, against the wall that was across from the hanging chair, was a little pond. _An indoor pond?_It was in one of the corners on the right side of the room. Not only did it have little stones surrounding it and obviously water inside, but there was a mini waterfall that seemed to continuously pour water into the pond without it overflowing.

Naomi had seen enough. She decided that whoever's office this was, she had to meet. Even if they were related to someone like Katie. She looked around the room to see if she could spot Dr. Emily Fitch, but ultimately came up with nothing. She then saw something on the left side of the room that she hadn't noticed before. In the space between the desk and the fainting couch was a glass door that led out to a balcony. Naomi took a step towards it when the slamming of the door behind her stopped her dead in her tracks.

There, smirking away with her arms crossed was a version of Katie that Naomi definitely preferred. Red hair, sassy lips, no cheetah print but instead black shorts and bright green leggings with a white blouse replaced it. No 5 inch heels either; she was in black and white striped ballet flats. Still, not what you would expect a professional to wear…but she made it work. It was charming and just like the room, made Naomi feel at ease. She noticed that Emily was around her age. _Must be smart to be such a young thera- counsoler…_Naomi thought.

She had obviously been standing next to the door, so when Naomi opened it, she remained out of the blonde's sight. At first glance, her face would be identical to Katie's but to Naomi who was taking her all in, their faces we're totally different. Katie's face was rounder and had this sort of "I bite" essence to her. Emily's face was kinder, her features wanting to bring you in rather than push you out.

"Naomi is it?" The second Emily spoke Naomi noticed the difference in their voices. Emily had no lisp and her voice was soft, yet husky. This too invited you in.

But Naomi couldn't seem to find her voice. She opened her mouth and no sound came out. She assumed her vocal chords were probably on a well-deserved vacation. Probably in Spain, Cyprus perhaps. Where ever they we're they weren't here.

Emily took notice of Naomi's sudden inability to speak but did not show any sign of judging her for it. Instead, Emily smiled and took a step forward and stared into the endless orbs of blue that we're Naomi's eyes. She deciphered everything she could just from looking at the blonde that stood before her. _Guarded, definitely. _Emily thought. _This one will take some chipping away at._ But other than that, Emily came up with next to nothing. She's dealt with people with fronts but never with someone's whose front was this…_thick.  
><em>

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that staring is rude?" Naomi hadn't realized that her voice had spontaneously returned, but she was thankful that it did. Emily kept her smirk, and raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah. She did, but I wasn't staring. I was observing. There's a difference you know?" Emily countered.

Naomi saw this as a challenge, and she was well prepared to rebut. "It's not any better though. You can stare absentmindedly, but observing…you've got the intention of being a creep." This time, Naomi was sure she would get through to Emily, that the redhead would realize the fault in her thinking and feel embarrassed, ashamed even. That's what everyone does when Naomi out smarts them. She raised a single eyebrow, waiting for Emily's forfeit.

A forfeit that would never come. Emily was increasingly amused by the blonde's response, and with every word Naomi spoke, Emily learned more and more about her. Letting out a small chuckle she brought them back to the reason they we're here. "Pick a side." She gestured to the room around them.

"Sorry?"

"Of the room, there are two different sides. Surely you noticed when you walked in? Or were you staring _absent-mindedly?_"" Emily informed her with a playful tone. She walked around Naomi and stood in the exact middle of the room. One foot on white carpet, the other on linoleum wooded floor.

"No, I was observing. But that's different, it's a room. Inanimate objects, not people." Every time Naomi successfully gave a comeback, she internally patted herself on the back. Only to internally kick herself because Emily didn't seem to mind.

"So you noticed then?" Emily practically having to pry answers from Naomi. She knows they've just met but she can't believe how unreasonable this woman is being. At the same time though, it intrigues Emily. What could have caused someone to be like this?

"Yeah, I did…why is that? Why not have one theme?" Naomi looked unsurely around the room and met the gaze of the red head.

That caught Emily off guard. No one had ever asked her that. People had always complimented how much they liked it, calling it 'cool' or 'retro' and maybe sometimes asking her how she did it. However, none of them had ever asked her why. Until now. She obviously knew why, but it felt foreign having to search for the words and voice them aloud. "Well, everyone opens up differently. Some people feel more comfortable in different types of rooms." Emily paused for Naomi to nod or any sign that she'd heard enough. Instead, the blonde just kept gazing, her face blank. Emily continued. "When you walk into a room, and its layout is specifically designed to alleviate you, it's usually referred to as a therapeutic room. Most people think there's lots of types of those rooms but in reality there's only two. I want the best for my patients, so I got them both right here in this room." It felt good to say all of it out loud. It felt like someone was listening to her.

Naomi nodded her head and looked back and forth between the two sides. She couldn't decide which side appealed to her more. The simplicity of the left side was relieving, and the fainting couch seemed to be calling to her. But the same call was also coming from a certain dangling chair that lay on the right side. She felt she could completely lose herself in the right side with its indoor waterfall-pond duo, its bamboo trees, the wooden floors that transported you to a different world, the countless paintings, the little statues, and that bloody dangling chair that was surely teasing her. "Can we sit here?" Naomi gestured to the in-between where Emily stood. Exactly in the middle.

"Here?" Again, something no one has ever done. Emily thought for sure Naomi would pick the left side. She wondered how many more surprises Naomi had up her sleeve.

"Yeah, well no. First tell me the difference between the two sides. Besides the obvious ones." Naomi smiled ever so slightly and realized, this was the first time she had smiled since meeting Emily. She didn't know whether that was good or bad.

Emily found herself yet again, searching for words to something she never thought she would have to explain. "The left side is for people who need to feel safe to open up. The right side is for people who need to feel free to open up." Naomi's head turned to study the left side. "The white makes them feel like they're in a pure place you know? Like the rooms been untouched. Like there's no judgment." The words we're just coming out of her now. Not even having to think about them anymore. She glanced to see if the unpredictable woman in front of her had anything to say. Nothing. She continued. "The right side is organized to make you feel adventurous. There are pillow seats and bean bags instead of chairs, well except for the hanging wicker chair." Naomi bit her lip at the mention of the piece of furniture that had been attempting to lure her in. "All because that side shouldn't have practical seating. The bamboo and waterfall give it an outdoor feeling so a person would rather want to run around instead of sit and act like a civilized human being." Emily studied Naomi's movements, waiting for any sign that would tell her what the blonde was thinking. After all, Emily had basically delivered a full blown speech. As always, Naomi gave nothing away. Emily decided to give an extra little push. "I realize they're practically opposites and that's the point, but they both have the same goal. The strategy is just different."

Naomi felt conflicted. Everything Emily said about the rooms was exactly what she felt when she walked in. Had there ever been a person to come here and felt the need to be safe _and _free? She sighed. "Well, that rant was charming and it all makes sense to me now but…" Naomi trailed off.

"You'd prefer the middle?" Emily offered. She wasn't encouraging it, nor was she steering Naomi away from it. She made sure her voice was completely neutral so the blonde could make the decision without any influence from her. But a small part of her liked the idea of sitting in the middle.

"We'll no I mean…both sides have something I want. They both seem right for me." Naomi glances at the hanging wicker chair at the word "want".

Emily catches her and grins. "It's a fun looking chair isn't it?" She teases.

Naomi blushes, she's been caught. She smiles a bit. "I swear it's been calling my name." They both laugh. The mood in the room was never really tense, but Naomi's joke seemed to lighten it. "But, I think I'll go with the left side." Emily's confusion showed in her now furrowed brow. Naomi took notice of this and attempted to clarify her thoughts further. "It just…seems more appropriate." That wasn't entirely a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. What Naomi was really thinking was: her whole life she's had to pick safety over whatever she's wanted. Always having to pick safety over freedom…

Naomi's little internal discussion did not go unnoticed by the red head. Emily didn't interrupt her though. In a matter of minutes –Emily hoped- they would be chipping away at Naomi's wall. The multitude of questions she had for Naomi would have to wait. She smiles at the blonde and gestures to the fainting coach. "Well, lay down then."

Naomi sneaks a final glance at the hanging chair as she removes her satchel, laying it on the floor beside the fainting couch. Now that she is completely on the left side, the aura of safety started to sink in. Emily had taken her place on the chair behind the fainting couch and was perplexed as to why Naomi hadn't laid down yet. She was just standing there…

"You know your time started like a good 15 minutes ago?" Emily informed the blonde, snapping her out of the trance she didn't even realize she was in. "But if you'd prefer to waste some more time just standing there, that's fine by me." Emily's voice was playful and it sparked a large grin on Naomi's face. She took her seat on the fainting coach but the redhead wasn't satisfied. "Naomi…"

"Hmmm…?"

"You're going to have to _lie _down." Emily couldn't help the smile plastered on her face. This woman just seemed to never endlessly amuse her. Naomi returned the smile but cocked her head to the left.

"I thought you said you wanted me to feel safe on this side?"

Emily didn't even understand the question. Surely she felt safe, right? If anything lying down would make Naomi feel even safer…right? This was ridiculous. Emily had never been lost at to what people are thinking. Ever. Not even people with fronts. She could always read people. Always. She had a bloody degree in Psychology for fucks sake. What was it about this woman that made Emily feel so unperceptive? It wasn't the wall. Well, that was part of it but it was more than that. Naomi seemed to tick differently. "What's so bad about lying down?" Emily eagerly awaited the blonde's response. "Wait. Don't answer that yet." Emily stood up and walked the 3 steps it took to get to the desk. She pulled out a pen and a note pad from the little drawer. Clicking the pen and quickly writing Naomi's name at the top, Emily sat back down.

Naomi watched as Emily scribbled down what she assumed was whatever the redhead had acquired from observing Naomi. "I can't see you if I lay down." Naomi heard a voice say those words, and immediately froze when she realized it was her. Why had she just said that out loud? Emily had stopped writing and looked up quizzically at the blonde.

"What's wrong with that?" Naomi had once again successfully stumped Emily. She griped her pen tighter and anxiously awaited the mysterious and evasive woman's reply. Naomi shifted uncomfortably and bit her lip. Surely telling Emily something this small wouldn't cause any harm right? This was nothing compared to the things Naomi could tell Emily.

"It feels odd not knowing what you'll do. Unsafe really…but I guess that's just me being paranoid." It wasn't much of a confession by any means, but Naomi looked up unsurely at her counselor. Feeling ridiculous for saying such things. Emily however was fighting back a sympathetic smile. She could tell this was probably the first time in who knows how long, that Naomi had opened up. If you could even call it opening up.

"Well I assure you, I won't attack you when your back is turned." Emily gave Naomi a simple smile, one that was returned by the blonde before she slowly laid herself down, mumbling:

"Lovely choice of words." Emily didn't catch it though.

"Alright Naomi, tell me why you're here." She didn't expect Naomi to open up immediately or for her to even know her problem, but straight forward seemed to be the way to go with this one.

"Because my best friend won't mind his own fucking business." Naomi crosses her legs and lays her hands on her stomach, one on top of the other. She stares out the glass door that led to the balcony. Emily frowns at Naomi's response.

"He's also paying for this session, with his own money." Her guilt trick worked. Naomi's sighs and tries again.

"Because he says I shove people away. Or keep them at arm's length…I'm not sure what his exact words are. I usually space out when he nags." Emily can't help but smile at that. "He says I do it because I'm afraid of commitment." Naomi scoffs at the last part. Chris has no idea how totally and completely wrong he is. She didn't choose this.

"Do you think he's right?"

Naomi bites her lip. She doesn't know how to answer the question without having to tell Emily about...

_Stop thinking about it._ Naomi stays quiet. Any moment now, Emily will say something else and she won't have to answer the question. The silence drags on. Naomi holds her ground. More time passes. Emily patiently waits for a response. Naomi props herself up on one elbow and turns to see if the redhead had fallen asleep or anything that would explain this silence. She was met by a pair of brown spheres, staring back at her. Emily was awake. Completely conscious and aware of Naomi's silence, but had said nothing.

"Why didn't you pester me?" Naomi asked confounded.

"I was waiting for you to answer." Emily replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, but usually when someone doesn't respond, people either dig further or change the subject…you did neither." Both women held each other's gaze for an amount of time that would usually feel like an eternity with another person, but with each other…it didn't seem long enough.

"I wanted to know what you were thinking, without really badgering you for it." Another long, but comfortable silent stare session. Naomi broke it this time, but only because her arm was getting tired. She laid back down and resumed her previous position, but didn't answer Emily's question. The redhead still didn't bother her for a reply. When she heard Naomi take in a breath to speak, she felt a tiny flicker of hope inside her.

"Do you ever get tired of listening to other people wank off about their problems?" _Wasn't expecting that. _Then again, Naomi has done nothing but the unexpected since she arrived. When Emily processed the question she found it a bit absurd.

"Why would I choose to do this for the rest of my life if I was bothered by people talking about their feelings?"

"So is that a no?"

"That's a definite no." A smile crept up on Emily's lips. "And they're not _wanking off_ about their feelings. Half the time they don't even know what it is they're doing wrong."

Naomi's face scrunched up in disgust. "I'm doing something wrong?"

Emily felt the defensiveness in the blonde's voice. "No, no it's just…" Emily pursed her lips, "It's not good to push people away Naomi." They both sighed loudly and simultaneously. Naomi's eyebrows remained furrowed, but her frown transformed into a full blown grin as she turned around to look at Emily who was also smiling broadly at her. Both women erupted into giggles.

Naomi let out a weary puff of air and looked up at the redhead who had long since abandoned the idea of writing anything down. Emily broke the silence.

"I know you know."

Naomi's heart sank. What is she talking about...? "What?" She choked out.

"I know you know the reason why you push people away. It's not involuntary. You do it on purpose. You know that you're doing it." Naomi felt her body go numb. She couldn't possibly know...could she? Emily leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "So what I want to know is why are you here if you already know? You could be saving Chris a lot of money if you just told him." Emily gave Naomi her best knowing look. Hopefully that would be enough to make Naomi cave in and confess. Naomi struggled to swallow. It seems the blonde's voice had taken another vacation because it was nowhere to be found. Emily was obviously right, but Naomi had no idea that the redhead could see through her like that. _She doesn't know. There's absolutely no way in hell she could know. _

"Sometimes the less people know the better." Her voice had returned again, unexpectedly. She wouldn't have replied to Emily like that, but of course, her voice seems to do as it pleases lately. That response was vague and evocative, but she hoped Emily wouldn't notice. But Emily had questions racing in her head. Before she could get one out, the sound of a buzzer broke the two women from their little world. Their eyes flicker to the source of the sound. A tiny white buzzer that sat on Emily's desk.

"That's odd. It's supposed to go off after an hour." Emily stares at the buzzer perplexed. "Must be broken." She shrugs and turns back to Naomi who has now taken an upright sitting position. The blonde checks her watch.

"Emily, it's been an hour…" She says incredulously. Both of them are thinking the same thing. How could it have been an hour? It felt as if mere minutes ago, Naomi was walking through the door. The memory of walking through the door reminded Naomi of what Katie told her to tell Emily.

"Oh shit almost forgot, Katie wanted me to tell you-"

"I heard her." The red head laughed as she stood and placed the note pad and the pen on her desk. "I was standing behind the door remember?"

"I didn't take you to be the ease dropping type." Naomi mocked as she stood up as well. She couldn't help but notice how Emily's throaty laugh was oddly endearing.

"I wasn't eaves dropping. I was observing." Emily turned to look at the blonde while she leaned back onto the desk, arms crossed.

Naomi picked up her satchel and threw it over head and onto her opposite shoulder, so the strap went across her body. "Observing what? You couldn't even see us."

"You don't observe with just your eyes Naomi." Emily pulls out an agenda book from the desk and starts flipping through it.

"Well, it was nice talking to you." Naomi starts to shift towards the door. She thought she'd be sprinting to leave this place, and never come back but found herself partially wanting to stay.

Emily looks up at Naomi, eyebrows coming together. "We still have to make our next appointment though…" The blonde stops moving altogether. Naomi's mouth opens but no sound comes out. "Surely you didn't think this was it? We've barely hit the tip of the ice berg. Actually, I think we've made next to no progress at all." Naomi stands there still unable to speak. "What time of the day works best for you?"

Naomi inches towards Emily, her hands wrapped around the strap of her satchel. Her eyes have yet to meet Emily's. "I don't think I can come back. I'm not even the one paying for this…I'm surprised Chris pooled together enough money to even do this." She looks up at Emily. "Sorry."

Emily looks back at her incredulously. "So that's it?" Naomi diverts her gaze to the floor. Emily is becoming increasingly annoyed. "Chris sent you here for a reason. You-" Emily steps from behind the desk and stares intently on the blonde. "You can't avoid this forever. I know you may not want to talk about your feelings but-"

"You don't even know me." Naomi said coldly, her eyes meeting Emily's in a fixed death glare. A glare that would send most people running for the hills but not Emily. She doesn't even flinch from the blonde shooting daggers at her. "So how you could possibly think you know anything about me is a bit ridiculous." With that, Naomi turned on her heels and started out the door, Emily followed her.

"Naomi! You- no. Stop right now!" Naomi kept her pace fast and didn't even look back. But Emily was determined. She had to half-walk half-jog to keep up with the taller woman in front of her. Upon, realizing Naomi wasn't going to turn around; she stopped chasing after the blonde. "NAOMI CAMPBELL YOU LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW!"

Naomi froze dead in her tracks, astonished at the sudden authority in Emily's voice. She turned around slowly, her jaw practically hitting the floor. "Y-yes?"

Emily was still oozing with anger but her face immediately softened as Naomi turned around. Those eyes seemed to melt her away. Emily sighs and closes the distance between them until they are, ironically, at arm's length. For a moment they hold each other's gaze. It seems to be becoming a reoccurring thing with them. "Naomi, tomorrow you're going to come in at the same time as today, and we're going to talk about _you _this time." Emily had just recently realized that today's session was spent either saying nothing or Naomi somehow switching their roles and asking Emily the questions. Instead of the other way around.

Naomi said nothing, just meekly nodded her head. Emily's voice had been so commanding just then, that she felt she could do nothing but do whatever she wanted. "Okay." Was all she managed to force out. Emily smiled tightly at Naomi's surrender. "Can I ask why though?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you going to all this trouble? You've just met me. If it we're me, I wouldn't even give a fuck." Lie. There was something about Emily that made Naomi think that she would do the same for her.

Emily sighed. Once again, Naomi had diverted the attention away from her. "Because my job isn't telling people what's wrong with them. It's to help them. I want to see them be happy…I wasn't about to let you walk out after one half arsed session." The mood goes from quick and angry to slow and tender. Naomi feels slightly uncomfortable in the sudden amount of seriousness and emotion. "Anyways, you will be here tomorrow right?" Emily looks up expectantly at the taller woman before her. Naomi can't help the smile that forms on her lips because Emily looks genuinely scared that she'll say no. Who could say no to her?

"Yes, cross my heart and-" Naomi realizes what she just started saying and her smile falters slightly. Emily keeps her smile but her eye brows come together. This doesn't go unnoticed by Naomi; she quickly finishes the sentence like a normal person would. "Hope to die!" She says a little too enthusiastically.

"Right…so…" The two woman look at everything in the corridor except at each other. It feels odd for them both, even though they've had several silences throughout the day, those we're all comfortable. This one is different however. It is the aftermath of an argument where too many emotions we're laid out into view, all too quickly. This is them scrapping their emotions back together.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Naomi offers to save them from this painful silence.

Emily nods. "Yeah, see you." Naomi goes to turn away but Emily catches her hand, turns her back around, wrapping her arms around the blonde for a firm hug. Naomi's arms remain stiffly at her sides. Naomi had a distinct smell of vanilla that tickled the red head's nose and sent butterflies into her stomach. But Emily couldn't see the look of total confliction that was on Naomi's face. The blonde didn't know whether to feel comforted, or to feel repulsed by this alien sign of affection. She decided to go with the latter.

"Emily…"

"Mmm?"

"This is odd…"

Emily remembered that affection wasn't on Naomi's everyday agenda. "Shit, sorry." She let go and took a step back. "Just felt appropriate…" Naomi rolled her eyes and tried again.

"See you…tomorrow?" The redhead nodded and Naomi turned away, this time without being pulled back by Emily. As she was walking to her car, Naomi abruptly stopped and her palm flew to her forehead. The session hadn't gone at all how she planned. She was supposed to make up a sob story and pretend that Emily had helped her realize her "mistake after all these years!" But she hadn't even tried to give Emily the sob story. Maybe it was because for some reason, Naomi felt so _simple _when she was in the presence of Emily. The blonde couldn't even explain it to herself but she felt no need to manipulate or lie or be anyone but herself with Emily. She shook her head. It would have to be done tomorrow. Giving a fake excuse would surely get Emily off her case. Then everyone could get on with their lives.


	3. Chapter 3: Pills and Perverts

**Chapter 3: Pills and Perverts**

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><p>Everything is quiet when she wakes up. Then again it's always quiet; Naomi lives alone in this monstrosity of a penthouse. Not a cat, not a dog, not even a gold fish resides in the Audrey Hepburn penthouse suite. She is the only living thing in this 5 bedroom, luxury, on the 44th floor, apartment. Usually, that thought doesn't bother her. It actually barely crosses her mind at all.<p>

Today was different. From the moment she regained consciousness from her slumber, it felt like she had a woken up to a different world. However, she can't find the source of whatever is causing this change. As she removes the duvet from her naked body, she checks to see if perhaps it is the temperature that has instigated the new ambience. Nope, average September weather. She shrugs herself into a large sweater that is ends past her bum. She wonders how after all these years, the sweater still manages to have the distinct smell of its previous owner. Walking out of her room, and into the kitchen to turn on the kettle, she hops onto the counter and sighs.

There's something missing. This feeling of not knowing what's wrong with her is eating away at Naomi and she lets out a frustrated groan. She thinks back to anything out of the ordinary that happened yesterday.

Breakfast with Chris, like every day.

Went to work, like every day.

Had an appointment with one Emily Fitch, not like every day.

That couldn't be it. That was a minor thing that happened yesterday. It couldn't possibly be what's disrupted Naomi's mood today…could it? "This is bloody ridiculous." Naomi muttered to herself. When she went to get sugar for her tea, her phone went off. Checking the caller ID, she smirked to herself and answered it.

"And what do I owe this rare event to? Has hell finally frozen over? Because surely Christopher Miles making a phone call must be due to a life changing event." Every word was dripping with sarcasm that her best friend knew all too well.

"Nah man, just checking to see if you're still alive." Naomi scoffs.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I'm willing to bet half my stash of Viagra that you've never been late to breakfast." The blonde's head whips around to check the time on the clock. _Half eleven._

That means Naomi slept over 12 hours, but she feels like she could sleep even more. "I slept in? Fuck Chris, I'm so sorry! I didn't-" Naomi is scrabbling to get to her room to get dressed, as she stutters into the phone.

"Naoms, naoms! I'm not going anywhere. Just chillax yeah? I'll be right here at our booth and I'll order some toast or something while I wait." Relief fills Naomi, breakfast with Chris is such a constant in her daily routine that the thought of going without I would make the day feel…incomplete.

"Thanks Chris. I'll be there in 5 minutes."

"Yeah, hurry up. You know the monkey man doesn't like to be kept waiting." With that, they hang up. Naomi smirks to herself as she gets dressed. _Chris and his monkey man shit. _She picks out a gray blazer, a tight fitting black t-shirt that says "live fast die young", a blue skirt with her favorite patterned leggings, and a pair of worn out brown converse. Chris dresses even more ridiculous than Naomi herself does, so she has no need to feel self-conscious about her fashion sense. Picking up her satchel, she grabs her keys and heads out the door.

* * *

><p>The little café where they always have breakfast is barely a 10 minute walk from where Naomi lives. When the café isn't even a block away, Naomi notices a little boy ahead of her. The little boy is putting his foot out to trip his little sister, even after the mother scolds him repeatedly. When Naomi is close enough to hear them, she smirks at how familiar the scene is to her.<p>

"Oliver! If you trip your sister one more time I'll-….ugh! What am I going to do with you?" The woman is on one knee, trying to get through to her son.

"You know, he only does it to see if you'll laugh." Naomi informs her. The woman looks up at her startled, just noticing her now. She looks back at her son who is grinning wildly, because he's just been caught. His mother catches this and looks back at Naomi.

"How did you know that?" She's standing up now, one hand on her sons head.

"My brother would do it all the time." Naomi is smiling fondly at the memory. She looks down to see the little girl has her arms wrapped her mother's leg, peeking up at Naomi. "It's not fun being the youngest, is it?" The girl simply hides her face in her mother's thigh.

"How did your mum make your brother stop? Oliver can't go anywhere without trying to make her eat the ground." Oliver shoves his hands in his pockets and looks away. Naomi thinks back, trying to recall memories she put away for such a long time.

"Actually, he never stopped. He did it until he couldn't do anything anymore." The woman understands Naomi's innuendo and gives her a sympathetic smile, and Naomi avoids eye contact. "But you'll stop won't you Oliver?" She arches her eye brow at the lad and he nods. His mother pats his head and gives Naomi a grateful wave. The blonde continues walking toward the café, her mind still lingering on the encounter she just had. It was common that people she met once would know more about her past than even Chris did. They never knew much obviously. All that woman knew was that her brother used to trip her and that now he's gone. She doesn't know how, when, or why. She'll probably forget Naomi even talked to her in about 5 minutes, but Naomi is still panged with guilt that not even her best mate knows little bits of information like that.

Naomi is coming up to the café and can see Chris through the windows. It's a small place. Chris' mum would take them here every Wednesday back in Primary and up through college days. All the waitresses and cooks know them by name and they're probably the closest thing to friends that Naomi has besides from Chris. There are countless meals that the both of them have shared here and yet they don't have a solid reason as to why they do it. Denise, their usual waitress asked them one day why they always eat here in the mornings.

"Our food ain't top shit, so it's got to be something else?" That day Naomi and Chris exchanged a look and they realized it was just something that seemed to stick. An activity that could effortlessly be made into a tradition, something so simple, it seemed to make itself into an everyday thing. Neither of them proposed the idea to come to the café every day, they just silently agreed it was what they wanted.

The moment Naomi opened the door; she was met by welcoming smiles from all the staff. She immediately walked to a booth that was exclusively owned by herself and Chris. Literally. Every morning, Denise would place a "Reserved" sign on it which wasn't removed until Naomi and Chris left or until one of them called in saying they weren't showing up. Denise had just now taken an order and was walking toward the kitchen when she saw Naomi.

"You're late." She waved her pencil at the blonde tauntingly and kept walking. Naomi smiled, shook her head and made her way over to Chris. He was at the booth staring out the window, looking at nothing in particular. He would do this often but Naomi found no need to ask him about it. She wouldn't want to be bothered in deep thought, so she just plopped down on the stool and took in his attire for the day. On each foot, he was wearing 2 high top socks, each of which was a different color. Green and red on one foot, purple and black on the other. Orange shorts that were a size too big, a blue and black striped sleeveless shirt, and a red hoodie that had one side loosely hanging off his shoulder. Naomi reached over and adjusted it. He turns to her for the first time since she's arrived, and grins.

"Look who decided to arrive!" His eyes have dark circles under them, like he hasn't slept for days.

"Yeah, too much sleep. Which it looks like you could use?" He shakes his head as he starts to wave Denise over.

"Nah, I think it's just from being so fucking hungry." He's waving harder now, desperate for Denise. The woman shoots him a hard look. "What about you? You look happier than I've seen you in…well probably ever?"

"Fuck off!" She laughs and looks over at Denise, flashing a pleading look. Denise is now trying to ignore them while she takes another order.

"I'm serious! What happened? Did ya get laid or something?" He's leaning across the table, expectantly waiting her answer.

"No, I don't know..."

"You don't know if you got laid? Aw come on Naoms, you know which pills are the funny ones! I've told you-" Chris is about to go into a detailed explanation before Naomi interrupts him.

"No! Jesus, Chris! No! I mean I don't know why I'm like this today." She looks out the window, pondering the thought. Chris smiles and nods his head, now understanding. She turns back at him. "But are you saying people can't just be randomly happy?" She looks at him questionably.

"Nah Naoms, other people can be randomly happy. Not you though." He raises an eyebrow at her and she matches the gesture. Before she can counter him, Denise returns.

"Alright loves, will it be the usual then?" The black haired woman is chomping on a piece of gum and has a hand on her hip. Chris speaks up first.

"Just give me my special Denise. I worked up an appetite waiting for Sleeping Beauty over here." There was an item on the menu that was made and named after Chris, called "The Monkey Man Special". When they we're in college, Chris managed to eat 12 pancakes, 4 scrambled eggs, 5 sausages, and an what seemed like an endless amount of toast. The chef put it on the menu and people occasionally came in to try and either match or beat Chris' plate but none have ever succeeded. "Oh and tell Ilan to make it the special, if ya catch my drift." Chris winked for good measure. Ilan was the head chef at the Café. Whenever Chris asked for a special, he meant to spike the eggs with some crushed up pills that Ilan keeps in the back.

"No problem Chrissy. Naoms darling, what'll you have?"

Naomi bits her lip while trying to think. "Scrambled eggs and some garibaldis?" Both Chris and Denise smirk. It's not often Naomi is so light and friendly, so they make mental notes to take advantage of it.

"Gotcha." Denise doesn't even need to write down their orders. "Looking good today Naoms."

Naomi pouts slightly. "What and I didn't look good yesterday? Or the day before that?" Her hard exterior returned. Chris and Denise look at each other.

"You look beautiful every day. Today you're just glowing with something yeah? I don't really know what though." Denise is struggling to think of something that will bring back the Naomi they had a few moments ago. _That makes two of us. _Naomi thinks to herself. She smiles tightly at Denise and finishes her order.

"Thanks Denise, but I don't really know what it is either." Naomi answered honestly while Chris kept staring at her. "Anyways can I have some tea too?"

"No coffee for ya today?"

"Nope, just tea." Naomi didn't feel the need for caffeine today. Denise told them she'd be back with their food in a bit and left. Chris started rubbing his temples vigorously. Naomi looked at her best mate, confused. "…Chris…"

"Eh?" He continued to look down at the table and rub circles into his temples.

"What the fuck are you doing…?" Naomi thought he looked like some type of psychic. Chris' head sprang up and his hands flew away from his head. He gave her a halfhearted smile.

"Just had a headache." He pulled out a vial and popped two white pills without even drinking anything. He put it back in his pocket before Naomi got a chance to read the label. "There, all gone." He spread his arms out to the air around him as he often did. Naomi opened her mouth to say something before he cut her off. "So, are you all, ya know." He gestures to her. "Cured?" Naomi doesn't understand until she remembers yesterday's appointment with Emily.

"No actually I have another appointment with her. Today." She says shyly. Chris raises his eyebrows at the unexpected answer.

"Should've known it would take more than an hour to make you crack Naoms." She looks away because she feels like yesterday Emily didmade her crack. Several times. She knows that anything she said to Emily was barely cracking but if the buzzer hadn't gone off, Emily probably would've found out a lot more. "So how many appointments am I gonna be paying for?" The blonde's eyes shoot up to meet his. "Yeah! You didn't think I was gonna let you do this by yourself were you?" Denise appears with Naomi's tea and coffee for Chris, then leaves just as quick as she came.

Naomi shakes her head, turning him down. "Chris you're not paying for this. Besides, today is probably going to be my last day with Emily." The shaggy haired boy sips his coffee and looks up at Naomi.

"Emily? Who's Emily?" The blonde looks at him as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. He just gives her a shrug and a goofy look that says "I don't know". Naomi sighs and answers him.

"The therapist?"

"Counselor" he corrects, "But I didn't know this counselor and you were on a first name basis. Kind of threw me off." _First name basis?_ Naomi just realizes that she never referred to Emily as "Dr. Fitch" or anything of the sort. Emily didn't even call her Ms. Campbell or anything like that. They had both just been Naomi and Emily.

"Well she is around my age; I guess it'd be weird if we weren't on a first name basis?" Chris was 2 years older than Naomi but since she was "homeschooled" until they met, she was ahead of anyone in her year so she was allowed to skip to Chris' year. Thus, how they knew eachother.

"Ah, so she's got to be pretty smart like you to already be out of uni at her age." Naomi nodded her head. "Well fucking ace! You guys could be best buds or something. It'd be nice for you to have a girlfriend. Hey maybe it could become something more serious?" Naomi shoved his shoulder grinning. Chris knew anyone Naomi fancied was a one night stand at the most. Nothing more.

"You're ridiculous."

"I'm being realistic! I thought you wouldn't have even gone to the damn thing and here you are telling me that you stayed for the entire time, and are going back tomorrow. Obviously 'Emily' is a fucking miracle worker." He was making large gestures with his hands, while smiling with his mouth open at the blonde.

Naomi looked at him, she was smiling as well. "I told you this is going to be the last time I'm going. I didn't even want to go back, she sort of forced me." Naomi thinks back to how demanding Emily was in the corridor.

"All the more reason to call her a miracle worker! So are you gonna let me pay for this or not?" He sipped more of his coffee, not taking his eyes of her.

"No. You paid for the first one and I'll pay for this one. It's fair." Before Chris could argue, Denise returned once again with their food.

"Alright Chrissy. Here's half of your order and I'll be back with the other half. And here's your garibaldis and eggs sweetheart." Naomi and Chris both said their thank you's and Denise left to get Chris' other half. Most of the table was taken up by Chris' food, barely leaving Naomi any room. They fell into a comfortable silence, awkward being something that never came between them. Chris was on his 5th pancake and had half a sausage in his mouth when he broke the silence.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Years of having Chris talking with his mouth full made his garbled speech relatively easy to understand for Naomi. She sipped her tea before answering him.

"The usual I suppose. Pick up Liam, meet up with everyone else, and do whatever it is we're doing today."

"Somewhere after that you're going back to see Emily right?" Chris wasn't about to let Naomi run out on it. She looked up at him as she swallowed some eggs.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Naomi glared at him. Chris held his hands up in defense.

"No, no I know you would. Just reminding ya." He shoved some toast into his mouth and chewed ferociously. Chris was afraid he had angered her past the point of "Happy Naomi" returning, but the smile she sent him as his eating habits made her chuckle, soon put that thought to rest. They finished their breakfast with making plans for Friday and Saturday. They left Denise some money on the table and left before she could give it back. Denise always insisted they never had to pay, but they always left her a little something. Chris walked Naomi to the entrance for the tube and they said their goodbyes.

* * *

><p>She's approaching the entrance to the aquarium when Liam strolls out. Liam works with Naomi and their environmentalist protection group. They were volunteers at first, but the owner who just so happens to be Liam's father, is filthy rich. He hand-picked a few to actually pay, quiet generously pay, and Naomi was one of those few. Liam's father, William, always suspected there was something between Liam and Naomi so he made them work closely together as much as possible. Naomi had no interest in Liam, but the same couldn't be said for Liam about Naomi. His infatuation with her was well known amongst the group, so much so that even Naomi knew about it. Still, it didn't bother her. She never teased Liam or suggested anything to give him false hope. She kept their relationship strictly professional, but sometimes it was hard. Liam was so sweet and charming and sometimes Naomi wanted to wrap her arms around him but not for romantic reasons. Seeing Liam often filled Naomi with a sense of nostalgia. He had the same brown hair and piercing green eyes as her brother. One of them anyways. He was talkative and everyone liked him. Just like Derek.<p>

"Naomi!" Liam's voice snaps the blonde back into reality. She's grateful he did, because she felt a memory creeping back up. Liam being so talkative and them usually having to work together, made Naomi know more about him than she would've liked. Sometimes she would block him out and he would become white noise, just filling the background, but Liam doesn't know much about Naomi. She doesn't open up to her best friend, much less to Liam. Someone who is only in her life because they are pushed together by his matchmaker of a father. If Naomi could choose, she wouldn't meet Liam every day here at the aquarium. She can make it to the office by herself, but William had given her a stern look when Naomi suggested she not have Liam drive her. She would much rather keep her job and put up with Liam's small talk than not have a job at all. Although Liam's attempts to sweep Naomi off her feet had gradually decreased over the past few months, him finally accepting the fact he barely knows anymore about Naomi now than when he first met her. However, there are some days where he reminds Naomi so much of Derek; Naomi is actually somewhat nice to him. On those days, Naomi has to go back to her usual self relatively quickly after Liam's eyes rack over her body suggestively. There are so many reasons as to why she is repulsed by him doing this but the main one being she feels like she's being perved on by her brother.

"Hi Liam." She says flatly not even giving him a smile. He accepts this as an ordinary greeting from the blonde.

"Ready to go?" Liam and his family are American and they all moved to London when he was 16. His accent is still present but every now and then he'll use words like 'tosser' or use 'arse' instead of 'ass' which are accompanied by his attempt at a English accent.  
>Naomi meets him at the aquarium because Liam swims with the fish every morning. Sometimes she has to go inside and tap on the glass a few times and tell him to get out. His excuse is always the same. "Got lost in their world." It's rare that he's already outside waiting for her.<p>

"Yeah, let's go."

They drove to the office with Liam talking animatedly about the fish and Naomi looking at the window, practically ignoring him. Eventually, he stopped talking and they just listened to music. They spent the rest of the day organizing volunteer schedules and made a trip to stop a group of people from dumping in the Thames. All in all, the day had been pretty casual. Except they got a new wave of volunteers, one of whom had taken an interest in Liam. Her name was Simone and she was continuously walking past Liam and Naomi's office to hand him _something. _Whether it was his lunch or a bit of information that didn't necessarily need to be delivered, Simone kept finding ways to stir up a conversation with him. Liam didn't seem to notice, but Naomi did. She would always peek at Simone whenever she walked in, and took in Simone's appearance. Simone had long, chocolate brown hair, eyes that were a dark green, almost hazel, skin that was naturally tanned to a golden brown, and perfectly straight, white teeth. She looked like she just walked out of a magazine. Naomi found herself staring at Simone, not worried that Simone would see because the model-like girl was leaning over Liam's desk, staring at him. Liam was looking at Naomi out of the corner of his eye. It was one fucked up triangle. Everyone perving on the wrong person.

"Well, thanks for the papers Simone…" Liam started, expecting the girl to say something and leave, but she didn't. She just kept looking at him. "You can go now…"

"Has anyone ever told you that your accent is-" Simone straightened back up and started to walk around the desk to Liam.

"No! You should really go now." He cuts her off and stands up, practically pushing her out the door.

"Smooth." Naomi doesn't look up from the papers she currently has in her hands. Liam shrugs and returns to his desk. "She's pretty, why not give her a chance?"

Liam looks up at her and shoots her a doubtful look. "No need to be jealous Naomi." He arches an eyebrow at her and turns back to his paper work, still smiling. Naomi glares at him, fed up with his arrogance. She sighs.

"Tosser." Naomi shakes her head and returns to her paper work. Liam glances at her out of the corners of his eyes every couple of seconds. They sit in silence for what seems like hours, until Liam breaks the silence.

"You're not jealous are you? You actually want me to go for her." His voice is soft. Naomi purses her lips and nods. He inhales deeply. "Two years and barely a couple of sentences non-work related, should've known you weren't interested." Naomi rolls her eyes and clucks her tongue.

"Liam," her voice is stern, "you're more like a-"

"Don't you dare say brother…"

"Cousin?"

This time it's Liam who rolls his eyes. It's rare that Naomi gets annoyed with Liam, but _he gets to ridiculous sometimes, _she thinks to herself. Naomi looks up at him to see that he's biting his lip. Her heart sinks. It's when he does this that his resemblance to Derek is almost unbearable.

"Liam I-" Naomi is about to speak but is cut off by a knock at the door. It's William.

"Ah! I hope I'm not interrupting anything!" He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. Liam waves his hand dismissively.

"No dad, just you know. Doing the paper work." Naomi nods in agreement, but William isn't convinced.

"Yeah okay, _paper work._" He winks at Liam and chuckles. Liam gives Naomi an apologetic look and she sends a reassuring glance his way. William does this almost every day. She's quiet used to it. "Anyways, Naomi you have a call from a boy. Said his name was Chris? Is he your brother or something?" William gives Naomi a suspicious look.

"Chris? What does he want?" Naomi is at a lost as to what Chris could possibly need. Chris has never called her at work. She gets up and starts to make her way over to the door. William puts a hand up to block her exit.

"He's already hung up. Said something about you having to leave for an appointment?" William is looking directly into the blonde's eyes. Naomi has no idea what he's talking about. She frowns and gives him a disbelieving look. "With a Dr. Fitch?" Liam leaps from his chair at the mention of a doctor.

"Are you sick? Do you need me to drive you?" He's joined his father and Naomi by the door now. Naomi shifts away from his over protective stance and avoids looking at him directly. She settles for his chin.

"No I'm not. It's just some counseling so if you could kindly…" She motions for William to let her through, "you know…let me fucking out?" Williams arms snaps back to his side and Naomi gives them both a departing smile and walks out. William keeps his eyes on her backside as she makes her way to the elevator.

"Nice one isn't she?" Liam slaps his dad's arm, looking at William with pure disgust.

"Shut up dad."

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the absence of Emily in this chapter but you kinda needed to see what Naomi's life is like right now. BUT IS EVERYTHING AS IT SEEMS...? Its not. Shits about to hit the fan in a couple of chapters guys. Hope you're ready? I love to know what you guys are predicting so please if you could be ever so kind and hit that little review button and pour your hearts out? Fun Fact: all the characters that aren't from Skins, (like the ones ive made up) are all ex's of mine. :O Except for William and Denise...I guess i mean all the younger people? But yes, Simone is very sexy in real life.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Change Up

**Chapter 4: The Change Up**

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><p>Naomi had bolted out the office because she was almost positive that Liam or William or maybe both of them, we're perving on her while her back was turned. Once she was out in the open, she decided to walk to Emily's office. It wasn't exactly close but she didn't feel the need to get a taxi or take the tube. She had enough time to make it there on her own, given that Chris had called her early to remind her. Naomi pulled out her phone and dialed Chris' number; she should thank him for making that call. Unsurprisingly though, Chris didn't pick up. She sent a quick text to him instead.<p>

**You we're right, I almost forgot about meeting with Emily today. Anyways I'm on my way now. Thanks Monkey Man. Xx**

Naomi put her phone away and continued to strut down the street, an entire mix of emotions flooding through her. Yesterday she had slipped, more than once, and it was bound to happen again today. Her first priority was to prevent that from happening again. Second, she had to put on the show she neglected to do yesterday. Emily wanted a reason, Naomi would give her one. Third, don't get distracted. Emily might have been able to sway Naomi from her objective with her 'therapeutic room' and patient ways, but today Naomi was prepared. Yesterday she had been presented with the in unexpected. Today she knew what she was up against, and would not let it get to her. Fourth, be cool. _Be cool? _Naomi wondered why she had just told herself to be cool if there was no reason to be checked her pot of emotions, _but I definitely feel nervous._ About what, she didn't know. It didn't make sense to feel nervous. That room was designed to have the opposite effect, and she did feel it when she walked in. Then what was it that made her nervous?

Naomi shook her head of those thoughts and focused on something else. Like where the hell was she? She looked around and realized she had been walking for such a long time, that the entrance to Emily's office was practically in front of her. The blonde had a disbelieving look plastered on her face. _Get it together Naomi. Jesus. _She gripped the handle of the door and pushed her way inside. The corridor was empty but Naomi could faintly hear a conversation toward the area where Emily's office was. The door made a small click as she closed it. Taking in a deep breath, she reminded herself of her list of things to do in the next hour. Except for number four of course, because that one had no real purpose…right? After assuring herself that step number four was unnecessary, she made her way through the corridor and into the waiting room. To her surprise, the waiting room wasn't empty like the corridor was. There we're two men sitting right next to each other. One was around Naomi's age. He had short goldish hair with blue eyes and seemed to have a permanent grin, even if there was nothing to be smiling about. He was sitting as if he didn't want to sit still but at the same time, seemed very in control of himself. The second man had hair that was practically black and one of the bluest eyes she'd seen in her life. He was completely calm and had an essence of mystery to him. He seemed to be a little older than Naomi, Chris' age perhaps. Both men we're very good looking but Naomi thought nothing of them.

As she sat down in a chair that was across from them, she felt the gold haired one staring at her. She looked up to see that he was not only openly staring, but his semi grin had grown to one that stretched practically from ear to ear. He waggled his eyebrows at Naomi and rubbed what she assumed was his cock. Disgust was shown all over Naomi's face and she let out a short and sharp laugh. He didn't seem not even the slightest bit phased by this as he leaned forward and inclined his head toward her. Naomi had had enough.

"Yes? Got a tick or something?" If Naomi could've sounded any more irritated she would have, but she doubted it was possible. He laughed a howl of a laugh and shook his head. The black haired man looked up at the two of them and an amused smirk formed on his face.

"Nice one blondie." He finally said after his fit of laughter ended. His voice was laced with utter enjoyment. Naomi frowned at the sudden nickname, but before she could comment he continued. "So, you dippy or what? 'Cause you know the Cookie monster has the cure for whatever it is ya got." Again, he rubbed his cock suggestively. This time, Naomi barely noticed because she was taken back at how he talked. _Always grinning, using big hand movements, gave me a nickname within seconds, and talks about himself in the third person…using a ridiculous nickname for himself. _Who does that remind her of?

"Babe…"

_Oh my god…_

"Babe…"

If Chris ever met this man, she was sure they would end up being long lost siblings.

"Babe?"

It was scary just how well she knew they would get along.

"Babe?" Naomi turned back to him, scowling.

"Sorry, I'm not a babe." Naomi made sure to pack her voice with venom. When she first met Chris, he was just like this and she had years of whipping to get Chris to treat her like he did now. She knew just how to handle someone like this guy.

"Well, I'll be the judge of that." Naomi wondered how it was possible for him to talk with such a humongous grin on his face.

"I'd like to see you try." She said flatly. The golden haired boy seemed to take this as a challenge. He raised his eyebrows and went to stand up; he was going to make his way over to Naomi before the dark haired man caught his arm in one swift motion.

"I don't think she meant it like that Cook." He pulls his cheeky friend back down and looks over at Naomi. "Sorry about him." He gives Naomi what she assumes is supposed to be a charming smile, but Naomi is unfazed by it. Cook is still staring at Naomi, with his seemingly permanent grin.

"Keep it in your pants, or it'll be swollen after I'm done with you." The threat seems to amuse him more because he gives out another howl-like laugh. Cook turns to the dark haired man and points to Naomi.

"I like her! She's got spunk." Cook winks and Naomi rolls her eyes. The dark haired man feels the need to relief some of the tension.

"Tony Stonem, pleasure to meet you." He attempts to throw another charming smile Naomi's way but she mentally smacks it away.

"I'm Cook, in case you were wondering." Now both boys are attempting captivate Naomi with smiles and eyebrow raises. She internally laughs at how ridiculous they are, and at how they are incredibly failing at instigating a reaction from the blonde. She decides to at least be civil.

"Naomi." She says simply. They nod and Tony looks back down at a book Naomi didn't notice he had been holding. However, Cook has his gazed fixed on the blonde.

"You know blondie, you never answered my question. It's alright if you're ya know," he gestures to her with his hand, "all sixes and sevens and all that, it's cool. Everyone's a little loopy. Just some more than others yeah?" He goes back to his grin and waits for Naomi's reply, but before she can, Tony starts chuckling and Cook turns to him. "What?"

Tony looks up from his book, "Sixes and sevens." He muses at his friend's choice of words and returns to his book.

"I'm not mental. I'm just here because of a friend." It's not exactly a lie. She's not mental and a friend did send her here, but she not her for a friend. Tony's head shoots up at the word 'mental'.

"I was mental once. It's quite alright really. It happens to all of us. People tend to go mental later on in life though, so I got a glimpse of it so I think I'll be ready for it when I'm older, and it happens to me again." He speaks of his life openly. Like there's nothing to be ashamed of. Like there's nothing to be scared of. Tony went through what Naomi could only imagine to be a traumatic event, and he got over it. Now, he talked about it like if it was yesterday's gossip. She felt a small bit of envy. Her event wasn't exactly yesterday's gossip. It was more like yesterday's catastrophe. Or yesterday's conspiracy. Or even yesterday's-.  
>She stopped her train of thought. Naomi had kept thoughts like this locked away for a long time. She could push them back in if she wanted to. So she did. Any and all thoughts of her past were put deep into the abandoned pits of her mind. She mentally locked them there and threw away the key. Hopefully that would keep them in. Naomi looks back up to see two pairs of eyes set on her.<p>

"I never said there was anything wrong with it. I'm just not."

"Yeah? Then why are you here?" Cook asked.

Tony jumps in. "Not all patients of Emily are mental Cook. They could just have personal issues and need a professional and non-biased opinion. I assume Naomi falls under the category of anger management or has difficulty expressing herself. Am I right Naomi?" He looks at her as if nothing he said could be considered offensive. Which in reality most people wouldn't be offended, but Naomi hated when people just _assumed _things. He doesn't know her. They have barely had a conversation and this man was already trying to diagnose Naomi with something he had close to nothing to base it off of. The blonde sighed.

"No. Like I said before, I'm here for a friend." She uncrossed and recrossed her legs. Cook furrowed his brow.

"Okay, fair enough. But do ya mean that_ friend_ made ya come here, or your _friend_ is in with Emily right now?" He paused for her reply but quickly answered himself. "You know what? Don't even answer that. Because I already know you don't have a friend in there because my friend is in there. So that brings us back to the question of the day blondie. Why are you here?" He raised an eyebrow at her. Naomi looked over to see Tony was waiting her reply as well.

"Can I ask you something Cook?"

"Shoot, blondie."

"Do they hurt?"

Cook frowned and looked at Tony for clarification, but Tony simply shook his head in reply. "Alright Naomikins, I'll bite. Do what hurt?"

"Your cheeks. From grinning all the fucking time. Surely they have to get tired eventually." Naomi arched her eyebrow at him and waiting for him to snap at her but of course, Cook practically cried from laughing so hard. Tony actually smiled with teeth, instead of his usual smirk and Naomi felt the corners of her lips starting to pull up.

"You're alright blondie, I think I'll stop asking you questions just because you're a funny one." He adjusted his posture so it was actually courteous, and no longer suggestive and crude. Naomi smiled in gratitude.

"So Cook. You're _friend, _why are they here?" Naomi asked it as casually as she could. Although she didn't like it when Cook and Tony were probing her for answers, she couldn't help but wonder who they were waiting for.

"Well she's not mental if that's what you're thinking. Effy and Emilio are best buds." Naomi felt a twinge of something unfamiliar when referred to Emily with a nickname of his own making. Jealousy? Why would she be jealous? It was obvious Emily, Cook, Effy, and Tony we're good friends so what part of that was she jealous of? Cook and Emily? Cook was attractive, but Naomi wasn't attracted _to _him, so why would she be jealous of Emily? Unless she was jealous of Cook…or Effy? No. No she didn't fancy Emily. She's her counselor for fucks sake. Plus, Naomi doesn't do jealousy. She doesn't let herself care for people enough to get jealous…right? "They both do that freaky shit where they know what you're thinking you know? Like before you even realize it for yourself. Scary shit man. But Emilio does it like as a job, and she's more professional about it. Eff does it just to mess with people, and her methods are more…more…what's the word Tone?"

Tony doesn't look up from his book. "Unorthodox? Alternative? Unconventional? Irregular?"

"Yeah! Exactly man. Exactly! Nice job word man." Cook puts his arm around his friend's shoulders and gives him a good shake. Tony receives it without question and his eyes don't move from his book. Before Cook can continue, they hear footsteps coming down the corridor. They aren't as loud as the heels Naomi heard yesterday. _Katie must have toned it down today. _These footsteps were light and almost silent. The person was definitely small but light on his/her feet. Naomi doesn't recall Katie's footsteps being this light, but she decided she probably didn't notice due to the amount of thinking she had been doing yesterday in this very room. To her surprise however, it wasn't Katie who appeared at the doorway but a small girl, around 17 or 18. She had caramel skin, brown curly hair and she seemed to be oozing with friendliness. Her attire was like a princess' and Naomi thought it made her look so innocent and vulnerable. The girl was smiling and turned to Cook and Tony.

"Mr. Cook, Mr. Stonem, Miss Stonem is already outside waiting for you two." Her voice sounded so fragile, Naomi thought that if someone raised their voice even the slightest, this girl would break. The two men looked at each other and stood up. Cook spoke first.

"Hang on, what the fuck? Why didn't Effy just come by here?" His forehead is wrinkled from the look of confusion on his face. The girl flinches slightly at his use of words. Tony puts a hand on Cooks shoulder.

"It's okay Grace. We'll be right out." He throws her the same charming smile he's been attempting to get Naomi with and Grace blushes. "It was nice to meet you Naomi. Hope to see you again soon."

Cook takes a step toward Naomi. "Yeah blondie, see you around. Maybe next time you could meet Effy? She'd tell you shit that you didn't even know about yourself." He eyes Naomi suspiciously and then gives her a sly grin. "See ya Naomikins!" The two men walk out into the corridor, leaving Naomi alone with the girl who should get "handle with care" tattooed onto her forehead. Grace gives the blonde a friendly smile and looks at her clipboard. The same clipboard Katie was holding yesterday.

"Naomi Campbell?" Grace says her name without laughing, as if there was nothing wrong with it. The blonde already prefers this girl over Katie.

"Yes, is Em- er…Dr. Fitch ready for me?" Naomi caught herself before she said Emily. It really was strange that they were on a first name basis.

"She is! Follow me please Miss Campbell." Grace turned on her heals rather…well….gracefully. Her body was well toned but at the same time very feminine. _Dancer_. Naomi thought to herself. She could tell by the way that Grace walked on her toes that she was probably more classical. "Is this your first time here Miss Campbell?" Grace asked turning back to look at Naomi.

"No actually, it's my second time. I came in yesterday."

"Oh! No wonder I didn't recognize you, Dr. Fitch's sister filled in for me yesterday as you probably noticed!" She turned around a waved her hand dismissively at Naomi. "They're twins, of course you noticed! Silly me." Naomi never really had a chance to add to the conversation, Grace sort of just answered herself. It was better that way. Naomi had to plan for what was to come anyways. She wouldn't let herself be distracted today. She would be ready for anything that would be thrown at her, and unless Emily changed the office overnight, then Naomi felt pretty prepared. They reached the doorway and Grace turned around to smile at the blonde. "Nice meeting you Miss Campbell, hope to see you soon! Or not…it would be a good thing if you didn't have to come back, so I suppose I hope I never see you again!" Grace threw her free hand in the air and grinned at Naomi.

"Right…thanks Grace." The caramel colored girl danced away and out of Naomi's sight. The blonde gripped the handle, breathed in and pushed open the door.

* * *

><p>Emily had finished all her appointments for the day. Well, almost all of them. She was still to have Naomi after Effy came in for a non-work session. They had these sessions often. They had become friends ever since they had met on that day that seemed so long ago.<p>

Emily had been in uni, studying for exams in the library. Unlike the other students, it wasn't hard for her to study. She was totally and completely fascinated by Psychology, and not only did she have a thriving passion for it, but she was bloody good at it as well. Emily just had a natural ability to read people, whether she knew she was doing it or not. It seemed to come to her naturally, but that was only the half of it. Many people are born perceptive and insightful but it all depends on how you want to use that ability, is what counts. Emily had always known that, but it was that day in the library that she started to really take those words seriously. It all happened after she met two people.

She had been lost in her little world, reading of the way people react, cope, stimulate, and think when she suddenly felt someone reading over her shoulder. It didn't bother her, she was just curious as to who it was. Slowly turning her head, she was met by not one but two sets of piercing blue eyes that were boring into her very soul. A boy and a girl, obvious siblings by their similar characteristics, but Emily would have known they we're siblings even if they looked nothing alike. They had a certain air they carried with them that was supposed to make you feel scared. Not because they we're threatening, but because they seemed to know more about you than you did yourself. Blue eyes, dark hair, faces that would make a model cry and knowing smirks that did just that, _know. _Emily felt herself being scrutinized but didn't feel uncomfortable by it. Being an aspiring psychologist, everyone around her would analyze everyone and everything. She was used to it. It felt rather relieving actually, to be in the presence of another observer, (as she liked to call them). The redhead turned completely towards them and smiled politely. She had weapons of her own. They may not be blue but her brown eyes did her just as much, if not more penetrating of the soul than theirs.

Her eyes used to be raw materials that she used without tactic and real reason; she used to analyze people without really controlling what the eye wanted to believe. When the eye sees something, a conclusion is immediately drawn and the brain takes that conclusion and puts it into effective thought, but that is to the untrained eye. People use things to hide their true selves, like fronts or fake personalities. It takes skill and natural born perceptiveness to rake through those fronts and walls and get to the person that is really running the show. Now that Emily's eyes were trained, she could see right through both of them. She didn't judge them though. She never judged people for how they carried themselves. It was a natural thing to do and she was here to use her so called powers for good, not to demean others. The boy, incredibly handsome, didn't have a hair or a piece of clothing out of place. The way he sat and looked at other people suggested he thought he was better than them. He was a personal perfectionist. Always making sure he's good at everything, making sure he's well rounded. Striving to be the ideal human. He would probably have it down if he wasn't so manipulative. Emily could tell how he gave certain people certain looks that he understood how people functioned but decided to use his powers more for evil. It's understandable. Wanting to manipulate people and watch as they squirm, but Emily would never do that. If that was how this boy lived then so be it. Emily understood his actions and respected them.

The sister was a different story. Emily didn't fancy her but the entire room did. She was stunning and she didn't need to try. She just was. This girl didn't care that everything about her was sucking the air that the other student's breathed, she cared about what interested her, and right now that seemed to be Emily. The redhead concluded that this girl kept every single one of her emotions intact. The thought of showing any type of _feeling _terrified the girl. So she turned herself into this calm, cool and collected emotionless person that wasn't really her. Emily then noticed that the girl would keep looking at something behind Emily. She followed the girl's gaze and stopped at a couple. Well, it was a soon to be couple. It took people with eyes like Emily's to know that these two idiots were in love with each other but didn't know it yet. Obviously this girl also had eyes like Emily's.

_So she likes to watch other people show feelings, but not do it herself…_

"Effy." The girl said suddenly. Emily could only assume that was her name. It fit her. It was different.

"Emily." Effy nodded and continued her evaluation.

Unlike her brother, Effy didn't necessarily manipulate people for bad, but she didn't do it for good either. Effy seemed to be captivated by the emotions that other people openly shared. Like the couple she kept glancing at every few seconds. Once they had both finished their analyses, both girls stared long and hard into each other's eyes and had a wordless conversation. Emily knew that Effy had seen right through Emily just as she had seen through Effy. A silent agreement was made that they obviously thought in a similar wavelength. Emily gave Effy a questioning look that would be read as:

"Friends?" Effy smirked back in response, accepting Emily's proposal. Smiling at the brunette, the redhead turned to notice that Effy's brother was gone.

"He's over there." Effy speaking a sentence for the first time and pointing casually over her shoulder without even looking. Sure enough there he was, chatting up girl. Emily nodded and looked back at Effy, raising an eyebrow. Effy understood Emily, without the redhead having to speak. "His name is Tony." Emily had only known Effy for about 10 minutes but she was already glad they had met. "Me too." Effy stated without looking at the redhead and pulling the book from her. Emily looks at her in awe. _She's not normal_ . Emily didn't mean it in a harsh way, she was just being honest. Effy had just read her mind. Emily shook her head and just dismissed the idea, she probably made a facial expression that gave her thoughts away and Effy had read it correctly. "Psychology?" Effy's voice interrupted the redhead's thinking.

"You sound surprised."

Effy narrowed her eyes at the redhead. "Thought I'd see medicine." This time, Emily narrowed her eyes.

"Why would you-?"

"Tony usually only goes for Doctors or sluts," she gave Emily a small smirk, "and you don't seem very slutty."

"Oh?" Emily keeps a straight face, "Well haven't you heard?" Effy slowly shakes her head, "I'm the school whore. Thought you'd recognize me." She sighs, faking disappointment and looks down at her hands. When she can no longer fight back a smile, she peeks up at Effy who is also holding back her laughter. Both girls burst out laughing.

Effy and Emily had been practically like sisters since that day. Both girls were around the same age but Emily having skipped a few years was further into uni than even Tony was. Only by one year though. Effy was in her second year at college, but when Emily asked her what she planned to study, the brunette simply shrugged.

"You don't know what you want to be when you're older?" The redhead asked.

"Satisfied." Effy said bluntly. It had taken Emily a moment to understand what she meant, but Effy decided to elaborate. "I want to be satisfied with whatever I turn out doing or being. I don't care where I end up or how or with who. I just don't want to hate every waking second of it." Emily nodded. "I don't want to regret anything." The redhead wondered how someone as incisive as Effy could end up _not _being satisfied with her life. Effy seemed to be aware of everyone and everything. She knew what was going on inside everyone's head and she obviously understood her own, unlike Emily. Yes, Emily was able to read people and she did know other people just as well as Effy did but, Emily's own mind was sometimes a mystery to her. How could you be a psychologist if you didn't have your own head sorted out? Eventually, Emily concluded that it didn't matter that sometimes she questioned herself. All that mattered was that she could tell what others were thinking. They wouldn't ask and probe her for answers because Emily would be the one asking questions. She had nothing to worry about. She looked back up to see Effy's gaze on her, the brunette smirked knowingly. "Not all of them are able to see like we do. So don't worry. No one's going to know. " Emily smiled appreciatively at Effy, not even bothered by the fact that Effy seemed to be able to read her mind. "Well actually, I know. But I don't care. You don't always have to have everything figured out." They had an odd friendship, but unique nonetheless. They weren't two people that met through a class or at a bar or a mutual friend or anything like that. They just sort of happened at random. Effy and Emily saw people similarly, not identically but similarly, and that's what brought them together.

Emily looked up at Effy who was watching another couple, this one not so happy or in love. This couple was bickering and fighting, and making a scene in front of everyone around them. Emily watched as anyone who had noticed the conflict was judging them immediately. Everyone of course except Effy and herself. Effy just watched the events unfold in a neutral manner. Neither amused nor annoyed by the event, she just watched it. Emily felt herself analyzing Effy again. Effy didn't have a front, because she didn't shove or keep people away. Instead, she hypothetically stood there as others tried to get a reaction out of her, an emotion, anything really. But were unsuccessful. Effy would let them come and go and she would just not react. She would just stare back at them with her piercing eyes and not show any sign of life. It was more like a steel ball in which she kept her emotions secure. She made herself emotionless for a reason that Emily had yet to figure out. Perhaps she just wanted to be the calm, cool, and collected person she put herself out to be. Maybe that was all there was to it. That seemed to be what Tony thought. Not Emily though. From the moment she met Effy, before she even knew her name was Effy, Emily knew that the brunette was a terrified little girl, curled up inside that steel ball. That girl was capable of showing buckets and buckets of emotion but even the thought of doing anything of the sort, frightens her to the core.

"Yes." Effy speaks to Emily but her eyes remain on the couple. How Effy knows what Emily is thinking without even looking at her is beyond her.

"Why though? You see the rest of us show emotion all the time."

"And you see where it gets you?" Effy inclines her head toward the couple. Emily purses her lips.

"Yeah, but people fight all the time. It's natural. I think everyone would go mad if no one ever fought and everything was perfect."

"Things can be perfect though. I've seen it." Effy turns to look at the redhead. "I've seen people be so in love that they don't fight. They joke around and make fun of each other, but never with the intention to hurt the other." Effy doesn't even blink.

"If you've seen it happen, then why not strive for it?"

"Because it's so rare. I'm probably not going to find it." Effy removes her eyes from Emily to look back at the couple. "6 billion people and I'm supposed to magically meet the one person I'm looking for." She lets out a sharp laugh.

"Who says there's only one person out there for you? You can fall in love more than once-"

"Soul mates." Effy said suddenly interrupting Emily. The redhead stared blankly at her until a small smile crept on her lips.

"What?" She said half laughing.

"According to Greek mythology, our ancestors had 2 heads, 4 arms and 4 legs. But they did something to anger Zeus, so he split them into two separate bodies, thus creating humans. So as punishment, we have to spend the rest of our lives searching for our other half. Our soul mate." Emily's smile had disappeared and she stared at the brunette.

"You really believe that?" Effy nodded. Effy doesn't believe she'll ever find her soul mate, so instead of putting up with people whom she believes have no meaning to her because they aren't her soul mate, she shuts herself down. Giving up on her so called quest. Not wanting to try. Believing that it's not worth trying. Feeling a little disappointed in Effy, Emily spoke her mind. Not caring if Effy had already read it. "Effy you're going to find that person. Trust me. If someone as philosophic as you isn't destined to be happy…well then there's no hope for the rest of us."

"Philosophic?"

"Shut up Eff, you know what I mean." Effy smiled an actual smile and nodded.

"I don't think so Emily." She paused to look at the small redhead next to her. "But you are."

* * *

><p>Emily sat at her desk, once again dissecting that memory. She never did judge Effy for believing in the whole thing about soul mates. Probably because a small part of her wanted to believe it as well. But Emily never did understand how Effy could be so sure that Emily would find her "soul mate". Then again, a large number of the things Effy knew and did were inexplicable. Emily had grown accustomed to them within the first day of meeting her. Still, her mind wondered if maybe Effy was right and Emily's soul mate was out there. Walking on this earth, living their life without knowing of Emily's existence. She always shuddered when she thought of that, and today she did as well. Until her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her door opening. Emily looked up from her desk to see Naomi walking in, having a determined look on her face. The blonde went to look behind the door but stopped when she saw the flash of red in a sea of white. Emily stood up and smiled.<p>

"Looking for someone?"

"Expected you to be behind the door…because you know…yesterday-" Naomi was making awkward hand movements and Emily thought she seemed a bit _nervous. _

"Yeah I got that," Emily let out a small laugh and the blonde stopped her attempt to explain herself, "I'm glad you came though, I actually thought you weren't going to come."

"Yeah that seems to be the constant around here." Naomi looked around the room, not wanting to meet Emily's gaze.

"Right. Shall we get started then?" The blonde nodded and gave Emily a small smile. A smile that gave the redhead an odd sense of security, and all of a sudden, all thoughts of people never being able to find their other halves, felt absurd to Emily.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ohhhhh shittttt...but yeah if your wondering why I'm updating at 3am its because my roommates are so madly in love with this story that both of them locked me in my room, with only my laptop, water and toaster struddles and wont let me out until I update this shit. Dont they get that I have this entire story planned out to the very end (i've actually written the final scene/chapter already *gasp*) but im just too lazy to type the inbetween stuff? Anyways, enough about my sad life. Did you enjoy the chapter? I wish I could know if you did...OH WAIT. Theres this button that if you click it...YOU CAN TELL ME. You can click it and tell me how much you liked it. Or you can click it and tell me that its terrible and I should just stop writing because I fucking suck. Really, I'd be content with either? OH and some people might call this a fluff chapter and fuck you if you're one of those people. I just told you a bit about Emily so you can understand her head and how the cogs turn. I gave you the ever adorable Grace, the epicness this is James Cook, the smooth Tony Stonem and the I-HAVE-NO-WORDS-TO-DESRIBE-HER Effy Stonem. The reason I had Katie kind of fill in for Grace was because I really needed some other Gen 2 character in chapter 2 so you guys could have some familiarity. Or maybe I make this shit up as I go along? Nahh I planned it. Okay so my long authors note is coming to a close. REVIEW YOU FUCKERS. Okay out...**


	5. Chapter 5: Round Two

**Chapter 5: Round Two**

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><p>Walking into the room had given Naomi that same sense of conflicting relief that she had the first time. Both sides calling to her, having a proposal that she wanted to take. The left side with the simplicity that she longed for, and the safety that had been a constant necessity in her life. The right side with something that Naomi only had for a brief amount of time in her life. The freedom was so appealing; it was like a guilty pleasure, or a drug that you go all your life without and then suddenly when you get a little taste of it, you just want more and more. The free side felt so wrong but so right for her. Not like the left side, there was no question on whether she would want to be on the left side. She just knew. There was no doubt about the left side. Well, except that maybe she would to be on the right side more. That was the only hint of doubt. <em>That's my life though isn't it? <em>Everything being taken away and the only thing _left _was safety. Freedom being what was _right_,but not something she would be able to have. This room was oddly a representation of her own life, including her wanting to have both safety _and _freedom. _One big fucking cliché. _She thought to herself.

Remembering that she wasn't supposed to be standing here lost in her own thoughts, she searched for Emily. It occurred to her that the redhead was probably behind the door again, but as she went to check, her head stopped, suddenly catching the glimpse of red on the left side. Heat rushed to her face because she just realized how ridiculous her actions were.

"Looking for someone?" Emily had said completely amused by the small smile on her face.

"Expected you to be behind the door…because you know…yesterday-" Naomi's voice seemed to not want to make complete sentences, but at least it hadn't gone on vacation like it had so many times yesterday.

"Yeah, I got that," The redhead joked and saved Naomi from her nervous rambling. _Nervous? The room is probably losing its effect on me. _"I'm glad you came though, I actually thought you weren't going to come." Why wasn't that the first time she had heard that today? The blonde could feel herself becoming distracted just by Emily's gaze on her. She thought that Emily must have some strategy where she looks at people like that to make them confess, so she avoided eye contact.

"Yeah that seems to be the constant around here." Naomi's response was so vague and evasive, but Emily had heard her say things like that countless times in their last appointment. So instead of asking what she meant like she would usually do with other people, or trying to read her eyes, Emily just decided to get straight to the reason why Naomi was here.

"Right, shall we get started then?" There was really no point in trying to read Naomi. Emily had already concluded that this woman was so incredibly good at guarding herself and keeping people away that not even Emily could see through to the real her. The redhead wondered if even Effy could, she doubted it. Even with Effy's more mystical strategies, Naomi was different from any one either of them had ever encountered. That much Emily could tell. The blonde could probably even stump Effy. That would be a monumental event that Emily would love to see. Someone actually being able to leave Elizabeth Stonem with a giant question mark over her head. Eventually, Emily hoped, Naomi would stop dodging any question or topic that had any bit of depth to it. If Emily stayed patient then later on, Naomi would answer all these questions that were running through the redheads mind. _That's what I thought yesterday though._ Emily looked up to see Naomi nodding slightly and giving the red head a small smile. Emily smiled back and wondered how Effy could possibly think that it would be rare to find your soul mate. With people as interesting and lovely as the blonde that stood before her, people were bound to find theirs. There were a few flaws in her thinking though. First of all, you could think the world of a person but they have to love you back for it to go anywhere, so that proposes an issue. They could be a good match for you but you might not be a good match for them. It makes finding the right person a lot harder. Then, there's the problem that not everyone in the world is even a good person. There are only a handle full of good catches and the probability that they'll be a good match for you, or that you'll even meet are slim to none. Looking at Naomi however, Emily felt those thoughts be thrown out the window.

"Left." Naomi had broken a silence that Emily was unaware she had caused.

"Sorry?"

"The left side…I pick it again today," The blonde gestured tentatively over to the fainting coach and met Emily's gaze. Naomi wondered if it was normal to pick the same side twice. Emily didn't seem to show any signs of shock so she assumed it was pretty normal. It was. People had never changed sides. Emily had only had one guy change sides, and it was because he had a personality disorder. Each personality wanting a different side. Other than that, most people knew on instinct what side they needed.

"Okay, lay down then. Just give me a second," Emily went back over to her desk to pull out the pen and notepad she had used yesterday. Naomi removed her satchel and placed it on the side of the fainting coach. She laid down, this time without any hesitation. Emily took notice of this and internally patted herself on the back. That meant Naomi trusted her more than yesterday. The blonde resumed the position she had been in yesterday, crossing her legs and putting her hands on her stomach, one on top of the other. Emily took her seat on the chair behind the fainting coach, crossing her legs as well, the notepad in her lap. "So, Naomi…" and with that, the blonde was immediately reminded of the act she had promised herself that she would put up. It would be one hell of an improv, and Naomi would have to think fast, but what with Emily being a psychologist, she would probably see depth in anything Naomi said. It would secretly be a duel effort; Emily would just have no idea that she was aiding the blonde with her giant fabricated lie. "Let's pick up where we left off."

Naomi remembered they had left off with her paranoia getting the better of her, when Emily had said that she knew that Naomi was aware of her actions and was fully aware of her intention. The redhead had seemed so _sure _of herself that Naomi hadn't been able to control her paranoid ways. Leaving off at this point however, couldn't be more perfect. It seemed whatever magical being that was up there had finally taken a break from pissing on Naomi and given her a gift. As nice as this gift was, Naomi would never forgive him/her/them for what had happened. If there really was something up there, Naomi wanted nothing to do with them. They had just sat there and watched as Naomi's life crumbled before her eyes. Anyone who let that happen, and let things like that happen every day, wasn't on the blonde's list of people she'd be thanking anytime soon. Taking in a deep breath, and preparing herself for the act she was about to put on, Naomi closed her eyes and allowed herself to speak.

"Jackie Seigel." Emily looked at the back of Naomi's head, perplexed.

"Who?"

"Jaclyn Rose Seigel is why I do this whole keeping people away thing." Lie after lie, after lie. Naomi felt disgusting lying to Emily. After all, the redhead just wanted to help and Naomi was practically spitting in her face with this. That wasn't the only reason this bothered her though. Naomi had told thousands of lies, just like this one and it never once felt this _wrong_. Not even to Chris. That probably was what bothered her the most. That Naomi felt uncomfortable lying to someone she had just met, but felt close to nothing when lying to her best friend. This whole situation just kept getting more and more fucked up.

Emily wrote down Jackie's name and looked back up, waiting for Naomi to continue, but she didn't.

"What did Jackie do?" Emily asked it gently, not wanting to push it, in case Naomi got scared and shoved the redhead back out. When Emily took a closer look at the blonde, she noticed that the wall was somehow still down. It was remarkable, Emily thought, being able to keep your wall down even when you're confessing something about the real you. Emily had never seen anyone able to that. Up until today, whenever Emily had helped people with fronts or walls, it would crack slightly. The people with walls would peek out and reveal themselves. The fronts would melt away and the vulnerable person behind it would step forward. Any defense mechanism people had used always faltered or disappeared when Emily got through to them. So how was is the Naomi was managing to keep all of her defenses up but at the same time, being able to tell Emily about her issues?

"When I was like 14, Chris set me up with Jackie's older sister and it didn't really work out, but I fell for Jackie. I fell hard." _Would you like some tea to go with your big fat lies Naomi? _She felt like a stranger in her own skin. She didn't know how she was making all of this up, but it felt like she was a different person. A lying, evil, conniving person. Her mother would have been disappointed to see her this way. Her father probably would have applauded her though.

Emily looked at the blonde accusingly. Something about this didn't seem right.

"I gave everything to her and even though Chris told me it was a bad idea, I didn't listen." If Emily could see Naomi's face, she would see that she was rolling her eyes at herself. Like she was tired of hearing herself talk. The blonde assumed that Emily was being so quiet because she was listening intently. Or maybe she was waiting for Naomi to break down into tears. She was dead wrong. Emily might not be able to see Naomi's face, but the blonde's voice provides enough material for Emily to read. Naomi wasn't confessing with her wall down. She wasn't doing something 'remarkable' that Emily had never seen. No, Emily had mistaken that for something much more common. Something people did every day.

Naomi was lying.

* * *

><p>He sits with his chair facing the wall, not his desk. The door opens behind him, and he hears someone fall to the floor.<p>

"Right pack of fuckers." The aging man behind him grumbles.

"Aw just shut up will you? Don't want to be on boss' bad side." He recognizes this voice. It belongs to Adam. Adam's always been able to take orders, do what he's told effectively and efficiently. He liked Adam.

"Yeah, boss will fuck you right up." That voice belonged to Tyler. He didn't particularly like Tyler because he questioned almost every order or task that was given to him. All think, no act. People might say that's the quality of a leader but he knows Tyler's just a prick. He doesn't question things because he's a leader, he question them because he can. "Boss? We're here." He sighs and is about to lash out at Tyler for stating the obvious, but Adam speaks up.

"Shut up Ty. He's not stupid. Just stop talking." He relaxes himself by taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. When he feels he has himself together, he spins himself around in the chair, facing the 3 men. Adam is on the left, Tyler in the right, and in the middle, on his knees _is dirt. _He thinks to himself.

"Kieran?" He speaks, looking directly at Kieran and his wounded face, "How are the bruises treating you?"

Kieran looks up for the first time. His body isn't as sturdy as it was many years ago. Even the slightest cuts and bruises have had great damage on him, and these men didn't seem to care. If Kieran was to answer truthfully, he would say that his insides felt like they were so swollen, his body would explode. That if he survived these events, the knife would leave its scars to remind him of the past week, for the rest of whatever he had left of his life. However, Kieran will not let them have the satisfaction.

"Alright, I've got a cut on my lip that doesn't look very pretty though. But you know, the rest is nothing different from what I get every day." Kieran tries to laugh at his own joke but the striking pain he receives as a warning, causes him to wince in agony. This doesn't go unnoticed by Him, and he smiles slightly in amusement at Kieran's attempt to be blasé about it all.

"Good. Glad you're enjoying yourself," He turns to Adam, "Has he told you?" Adam chews on the inside of his cheek as he takes a step forward.

"No boss. We ask him over and over. Torture him even. He doesn't budge." Adam looks up at his boss with pleading eyes. He doesn't want to get the backlash of what Kieran hasn't done. To his surprise however, his boss remains relatively calm. His fist is clenched slightly, but other than that, no sign of any anger towards Adam, Tyler, or even Kieran. Boss stands up, with both hands clasped behind his back.

"I knew it wouldn't be that simple," he bends over to try and look Kieran in the eyes, "You do see her as your daughter after all." Kieran visibly flinches at the reference to her. He sees this and smiles. "If you tell us…we promise not to hurt her we-"

"THAT'S A LOAD OF SHIT! That's all you want, is her out of your way!" That earns Kieran a hard backhanded slap.

"You worthless Irish prick." He practically spits in Kieran's face as he hisses this at the man. Adam and Tyler both tighten their grip on Kieran's shoulders and prepare for the worst. Kieran may be older now and not in the best shape, but they both know what he was once capable of. Boss straightens up and wipes his face in his hands, while pacing impatiently. He's running his hand through his hair when Kieran speaks back up.

"Just leave her alone. Please. She's not like the rest of them. She wants nothing to do with what they started. She just wants a normal life. It's all she's ever wanted. She actually kind of has it now, so there's no point in looking for her. She's not a threat to you, _I _promise you that." Kieran is looking at the floor, not wanting to show the weakness in his face. "Please David. If you have any scrap of a human being left, bring it out to understand."

"David?"

"Shut up Tyler."

David looks up at the fair haired idiot named Tyler and gave him a look that would probably make him drop dead, if looks could kill. Adam gave him a slap on the back of his head, which seemed to please David because he looked back down at Kieran, seemingly unbothered by the fact he had just spoken his real name in front of Adam and Tyler.

"I know she's not like them Kieran. She takes after her mother doesn't she? Just like the eldest boy did." Kieran takes another wound, this time to the heart. "What was his name? Darren? Dylan?"

"Derek." Kieran grumbles.

"Ah yes! Spitting image of his father. Same hair, eyes. Odd that he'd taken after the mother. So kind and gentle. Bleck!" He shows his disgust by shuddering at the thought of being compassionate to another human being. "But what was the other one? Had blonde hair and blue eyes just like her and the mother. He was a mean little one wasn't he?" Again, Kieran's heart seems to take another shot. "What was his name?"

"Edmund." Kieran is getting tired of this game. Physically and emotionally tired.

"Yes, yes of course. He took after his father though, didn't he?" Kieran nods and David smirks, "Funny how things work don't you think? Look exactly like one parent but act like the other. But I guess those are kids for you," David is still pacing, "But you wouldn't know about kids, would you Kieran? You don't have any of your own. And the closest you ever had are either in hiding or-" Kieran breaks from Tyler's grip and uses his free hand to punch Adam in the nose. David's back is turned while it all takes place and by the time he turns around, it's too late. Kieran has already grabbed him by his shirt and is pinning him against the wall.

"You listen to me David!" Kieran's voice is harsh, so fierce and full of emotion that even David feels his whole body go stiff from the fear, "Your father may have gotten the rest of them. But I will give my _life_ to make sure Naomi lives," His voice breaks at the word _life_, "I might even take yours if I have to." Tyler and Adam are now scrambling to their feet and dashing towards the two older men. David is still in shock, and he just stares blankly back at Kieran. "Your boys have put me through what you call torture," he scoffs, "I went through worst shit in primary. And even if you do decide to torture me for real, let me tell you now, save these kids their energy. Because I'm not telling you a thing." Kieran's eyes are cold and his lips are turned down into a disgusted frown. He contemplates hitting David back but before he can decide, Adam and Tyler are pulling him away, with their grip much harder than before, neither one wanting to take a chance. As they drag Kieran away, David pulls himself together. He straightens up his posture and adjusts his shirt. Internally though, he's still a massive wreck. The fear that Kieran had just instilled in him had put his body into panic. His legs still felt numb, pulse still racing, eyes still watery, lip still trembling, and his brain still scrambled. He barely had enough time to talk himself through when Adam's voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Where do you want him boss?" All David wanted was to have them all leave…and to kick Tyler out the window.

"Get him out of here. All of you out of my sight." He waved them off and the boys nodded, and began to drag Kieran out. Then a thought occurred to David. Physical pain was obvious hurt, but those wounds would heal. If he wanted to get through to someone, he'd have to drive them mad. Go from the inside. "Oh Kieran!" Adam stopped dragging and Tyler soon mimicked his actions. They turned Kieran around to face David once more.

"How can I help you David? Got a thorn in your foot?" Kieran sarcastically responded as David strolled over with a sudden confidence to himself. David bent over to Kieran's eye level and sneered.

"I changed my mind," Kieran raised his eyebrows, "I'm not going to touch her. None of my people will touch her," He paused for Kieran to digest his words. When Kieran said nothing, he continued. "I'm going to find her. And I will make her life a living _hell_. She will live her life as long as her body will allow, but I will see to it, that it's an agonizing and painful one. It's simple Kieran. Just take away everyone she loves. My father already took her family, so all that's left are her friends. I'll see to it that the girl doesn't have a single person on this earth."

"What the fuck are you on about David?" The way Kieran said it, barely sounded like a question.

"Please Kieran, you're not an idiot. I think even Tyler understands." He gestures over to the boy and Tyler's shoulders fall. Kieran gives David a hard look.

"Enlighten me." David stands up straight and begins to walk back to his desk. Kieran stares at his back incredulously. "David…what's your master plan?" When the tall man doesn't answer, Kieran starts to wrestle from the grip of the boys holding him but with no avail.

"Yeah David, what's the plan?" Tyler speaks the words and immediately regrets them. Stopping mid-step, David becomes the centre of the room, all eyes all him.

"You stupid fucking idiot!" Adam hisses at the foolish boy and even Kieran jumps in.

"Start saying your prayers boy." Tyler is turning pale as David slowly turns on his heels. Everyone aside from Kieran is holding their breath. David's lips are twitching and they long to wrap themselves around Tyler's neck until his body stops squirming. He sinisterly makes his way over to the lad stricken with fear. Adam nervously looks between the two of them, not sure what to do if things get out of hand. Kieran keeps his head hanging towards the ground, his innumerable amount of thoughts making him almost indifferent to the events that might take place. David reaches Tyler and places his face in such close proximity to Tyler's that both can feel the other's breathing on their face.

"I would kill you, if I wasn't in such a good mood. You know that right?" David's voice is far too calm, and it just makes the situation all the more terrifying. Tyler nods slowly and he swallows hard, his mouth drier than the Sahara. David stares at Tyler for what feels like ages to everyone else in the room. Adam is shifting nervously from foot to foot and Kieran just wants this to be over because his knees are getting tender from the floor. "Next time you even mutter my name; I'll break your legs and stab you in the jugular. Do we have an understanding Tyler?" David was actually smiling as he spoke the horrific words. A muscle in Tyler's neck twitches. Adam is subconsciously gripping Kieran's shoulder far harder than necessary. When Tyler does reply, David simply gives him a sarcastically large smile and turns back around, but as his body is almost completely facing away from anyone in the room, he quickly spins himself back around with his fist clenched and uppercuts Tyler in the stomach. Gasping for air, Tyler falls to his knees next to Kieran and grips his torso with his free hand. Kieran isn't bothered by any of this. His eyes have seen much worse. "Now let's try this again," David is once again turning around and walking back to his desk, "Get out of my sight." Tyler manages to resume breathing normally and pulls himself together. He and Adam drag Kieran out of the room without much protest from the older man, but on the inside, Kieran's mind is racing. The eerie and suggestive comment that David made moments ago was still replaying over and over. There were a million interpretations to it but Kieran hoped that David meant that he would kill him and send pictures to Naomi. That, Kieran feels, would be bearable for someone as strong as Naomi. In fact, he's prepared her for something such as that happening all her life. He hasn't however; prepared her for anything to happen to friends she's made in recent years. He never felt it necessary. What with Naomi keeping everyone away for this very reason, for the fear that they would be used against her as bait and as torture. She'd only let one person remotely close and he liked that fun loving boy named Chris. He was a good friend for her and Kieran never protested her against having friends, but then again he never expected for David to find them.

* * *

><p>"It's the whole first love thing, you know? I don't try to think of her everyday but almost everything reminds me of her." <em>God Naomi, get any cheesier will you?<em> Both girls thought this. Naomi was beating herself up for not coming up with a solid story, because maybe if she had given this act a little thought, she wouldn't have to settle for this shitty improv. Now that Emily had realized that everything coming out of the blonde's mouth with pure shit, she couldn't help but feel a bit hurt…and angry. Hurt because Emily thought that she would actually be able to get through to Naomi. That maybe the blonde would trust her enough and not be a coward. It was so aggravating for Emily to sit there and watch Naomi conjure up some story while she had no idea that Emily had caught her. After a while, the redhead began to just tune Naomi out. She wondered if maybe she was making it up on the spot, because that would explain its horrible structure, but if Naomi had sat down and planned this…well it was just pitiful. If the blonde had actually stopped to think about how she was going to fool Emily, constructed this awful story and then approved it as a good idea, then maybe Naomi needed a helmet, not counseling. A sniffle brought Emily out of her thoughts.

"And…it just hurts you know? Why me? _Why me?_" She couldn't believe it. Naomi was actually trying to pull of this stupid heart break story by pretending to cry.

"Oh for fucks sake," Emily muttered under her breath. Naomi turned around slightly, her eyes red and a tear falling from her left eye. _Impressive. _Emily thought.

"Sorry?"

"Oh nothing, please go on." She coated the sentence with fake concern and nodded encouragingly at the actress that lay on her fainting couch. When Naomi nodded and turned back around, she whipped off the tear and her face went back to its extremely annoyed form. Naomi was growing tired of acting this whole scene out and she was running out of romance movies to base her story off of. She'd never been in love, so she probably should have done some research before strolling into Emily's office thinking she could put together a full on tragedy of love that had "left her scarred for life" off the top of her head. She started to panic and felt fidgety and unable to sit still. _Breathe Naomi. _The blonde was suddenly reminded of the technique she was taught on how to calm herself. _Feel the air pass through from your nose and into your lungs. _Naomi took a few deep breathes and did just that. _Feel your heart beat against your chest. _Continuing with her steady breathing, Naomi isolated her senses, to feel the small thump of her heart, beating away rhythmically at her ribcage. _Feel the empty space behind your eyes. _This one was the hardest one for her. It always took her much longer to do the final step than to do the first two. Doing the first and second step simultaneously, she relaxed all the muscles in her body and slowly became aware of the two empty pockets that lied behind her eyes. With all 3 things being done harmoniously, Naomi felt at ease again. Usually when doing this procedure in the presence of another person, she would do it quickly and inconspicuously so they wouldn't notice or assume something was wrong and interrupt the process. It was different with Emily though. She trusted her. Naomi knew that Emily wouldn't interrupt her, and that helped her get even more lost in her Nirvana-like state. There was no worrying that Emily would think Naomi was possessed or weird or anything of the sort. She was completely comfortable in losing herself in her own world and not thinking of when she was coming back. However, she didn't mind coming back to Emily. Naomi's happy place was where she wished she could stay in forever, but for some reason, the fact that Emily was waiting for her on the other side, made it a lot easier to return. The blonde wished she could somehow take Emily with her and not have to come back.

Naomi's eyes suddenly opened and she was once again transported back to the real world. She scolded herself for thinking such things about her counselor but it was hard not to. Emily was so understanding and non-judgmental and caring and small and cute…Naomi sighs. This isn't going to get any easier. She needs to finish this whole arrangement today and then life will return to normal. So why is it she feels that she's told herself that many times throughout the past couple days and she has yet to believe it? Because life was never normal to begin with, not for Naomi, so what she should really call it is 'the usual'. She can't say her life will return to something it never was, so she corrects herself by saying that her life will return to the usual. Yes. The usual sounds…satisfactory.

* * *

><p>Emily gazes at the back of Naomi's head. At first she thought Naomi had taken some time to think the rest of her brilliant plan through, but then she noticed that the blonde was actually alleviating herself. From what or why, Emily didn't know. She thought about asking Naomi but then convinced herself not to. Maybe interrupting whatever Naomi was doing would have a negative outcome. What if it turns out Naomi was preparing herself to tell the truth and by intruding on her thoughts, she would decide against it? Emily leaned forward to try to study the blonde a bit better. She seemed to be totally and completely at ease, not a care in the world. In fact…she didn't even seem to <em>be <em>in this world.

_Is she sleeping? _Emily wondered. Leaning forward just a tad bit more, the redhead waved her small hand in front of Naomi's face, receiving no reaction from the blonde. _She's definitely sleeping. _Emily stood up and placed her notepad and pen on her seat. She took the few steps it took to get beside Naomi and folded her arms as she took in the sight before her. _She's…not sleeping? _Sure, Naomi's eyes were closed but that was the only resemblance to sleep that Emily saw. Her breathing was steady, but it was like Naomi was concentrating on her breathing. As if she was practicing to breathe…it looked strange. The other thing Emily saw, look almost abnormal. Naomi's eyes…they looked as if they weren't really there. It was a difficult thing to describe but it looked as if Naomi's eyes were searching for the back of her head. Naomi looked strange, abnormal, positively creepy…and yet Emily thought she had never seen a more beautiful sight. It was like looking at a new born child. All they're doing is just…_being. _No corrupted thoughts, no want, no emotion except the one of existence. From what Emily could tell; Naomi wasn't doing anything except being a living organism. She looked so peaceful.

Emily smiles to herself and returns to her seat. For a while, she forgets that Naomi had just been lying to her and that she was supposed to be furious. Instead, Emily began to doodle until she decided she couldn't draw and gave up. With Naomi still lost is Neverland, Emily decided that she wanted to escape as well. She stands up and once again sets the notepad and pen on the chair. Then, makes her way over to the middle of the room, where both sides meet. She takes a deep breath and steps forward, her right foot landing onto the wooden floors that hold freedom. She weaves through the many trees, statues, and bean bag chairs and stops in front of her destination.

"Wicker chair…take me away!"

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><p>Naomi looks around and feels it's a bit <em>too<em> quiet in the room. _Maybe this time Emily really did fall asleep._ When she turns around, to her surprise, Emily isn't even in her chair. Usually, Naomi would panic at something like this happening, but just coming back from her paradise; she just furrows her brow and begins to stand.

"You're back?" The familiar husky voice is coming from Naomi's left and she turns to see the Emily is on the right side of the room…in the wicker chair. Emily is small enough so that she easily fits inside it, without any hassle and still has plenty of room to spare. They could both probably fit in there if they tried.

"Back?" Naomi smiled and took a few cautious steps toward the redhead, "Back from where? I'm pretty sure you're the one who left." Naomi inclines her head toward Emily and flashes a smile.

"I didn't _leave._ You went off to somewhere of your own creation and I didn't want to be left twiddling my thumbs until you came back," Emily grinned, "So I crossed over to freedom." Naomi was now at the separation line of the room, where white carpet met deep brown wood. She took a brief gander at her feet that were firmly set on the white carpet and not showing any possibility of moving. Her brain repeatedly sent the signal to move and step onto the right side, but nothing happened. It was as if they were locked onto that one spot. "You okay?" Emily asked from her corner of the room. Her brown eyes took in Naomi's body language. Why was she so scared to cross?

"Yeah. Fine…I think I'll just…" The blonde sat down in the same spot at which she was standing, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her knees, "I think I'd just rather stay on this side." Emily cocked her head the side slightly, while she tried to understand Naomi's motives. Every time the blonde managed to blind her, she became more and more self-conscious. _Am I losing my touch? _The thought made Emily's throat become suddenly dry.

"Sure, no problem, I'll join you." Naomi noted that Emily's voice was a bit huskier than usual. Emily hadn't noticed. Her mind was fully focused on trying not to show her inner insecurity. If Naomi saw any weakness or any hesitation in Emily, the blonde would have the upper hand. Emily would no longer have control of the situation, and everything that she had worked for with Naomi, which wasn't much, will have gone to shit. Emily had to keep having Naomi believe that she was all seeing. Well maybe not _all_ seeing, but not let it show that she was almost completely blind when it came to Naomi, and it shook her to her very core because this was the first time _ever_ that it had happened. Not even Effy was able to fool her, and Effy fooled everyone. Even her own brother. So how is it that this blonde can just amble in and make Emily feel like a non perceptive? She felt like everyone else at this very moment. Not knowing what the person will do next, or why. Emily was using every trick in the book to read Naomi and she was ultimately coming up with next to nothing. It wasn't that hard to catch Naomi lying though. Anyone could sense a liar; it was just that Emily kept over thinking everything and that was what kept throwing her off. _Simple. Keep things simple. _The small redhead stopped at the line where the two sides of the room met, and mirrored Naomi's position. Emily stayed on the right side. Naomi stayed on the left. They made eye contact and smiled at each other briefly. Emily tried to keep the contact for a little while longer, the eyes were the gateway to the soul and it was the best way to read someone. Naomi had some pretty beautiful gateways. Under the pressure, the blonde dropped her eyes to the floor and bit her lip.

She was thinking. Emily noticed this and felt a rush of joy. Thinking meant considering, considering meant decisions, decisions meant solutions, and solutions eventually meant talking. So whatever Naomi was pondering over, Emily was more than happy to wait. Because in a couple of minutes, the blonde would make her decision and speak it out loud. Then Emily would comfort her in whatever it was she needed comforting in, which would gain the redhead some trust with Naomi. That way, they would be inching closer and closer to getting down to the big question. Why does Naomi push people away? Obviously that whole bullshit story about Jackie was made up. Maybe that's what Naomi was thinking about, maybe she was deciding if she should tell the truth. Emily was only partially right. Yes, Naomi was thinking about her lie. She wasn't necessarily thinking about whether she should come out with the truth though. The blonde was caught between two courses of action. The first one being to continue to lie to Emily. To keep on knitting this sweater of lies even if she wanted to give up halfway through. The second not being one you would expect. One would think that the second course of action would be to tell Emily the truth and set the sweater on fire, but it wasn't. The second course of action was to just sit there and stare at Emily in complete silence. Naomi had no idea why or where that idea came from, but she would be lying if she said it wasn't tantalizing.

The latter option was slowly but surely the one that was becoming her final decision. Would Emily bring the story back up? Or would the redhead take her patience to the extreme and not question Naomi's motives? Another thought occurred to her. They didn't have to sit in silence did they? They could talk. If Naomi managed to steer the conversation away, she might have a chance of making Emily forget the unfinished story. Did she have time? Surely she had at least another half hour. Naomi didn't want to be rude and check her watch, so she inconspicuously pretended to examine her hands and slowly her eyes made their way to her wrist. Her naked wrist…with no watch to be found. _Shit. _Naomi realized that in the rush to get out the door and meet Chris at the cafe, she hadn't put on her watch. Inwardly sighing, she decided to just wing it. The worst that could happen is that Emily would get them back on track and she would have to continue having to make up the story on the spot. The best that could happen would be that Emily would just roll with the conversation. Naomi hoped for the latter. A third outcome made its way into the blonde's thoughts. The buzzer could ring. Naomi realized that even though the buzzer meant she wouldn't have to continue with the fake story, it also meant their session would be over. Even though Naomi didn't want to keep telling lies, she much preferred that over the session ending all together. Emily's presence had a large amount to do with that, but Naomi had yet to realize this. Naomi didn't know how long her silence had lasted but of course Emily was still staring at her intently. Watching her every move. No sign of becoming irritated with Naomi. The first topic that popped into her head was what flew out of her mouth.

"Who was the girl Cook and Tony were waiting for?" It seemed like a legitimate question as she was saying it, but now she wasn't so sure. Thankfully, Emily wasn't going to ridicule Naomi for her random question. She was actually more intrigued at how it was Naomi knew Cook and Tony, and how Effy came up in the conversation.

"Effy?"

"Grace said her last name was Stonem? Is it the same girl? " _Well it looks like you've met everybody today haven't you Naomi? _Emily thought this to herself before nodding.

"Yeah, Effy Stonem. Sorry, what does this have to do with-"

"It doesn't," Naomi sensed that Emily was possibly going to steer them back to the not finished sweater of lies, and quickly took hold of the helm, "I was just wondering. Since Grace called Tony "Mr. Stonem" I wondered if that meant they were married?" Naomi kicked herself for being so stupid. Emily probably thought she was insane, wondering people's marital statuses. Instead, Emily was laughing.

"No, no. They're siblings. Tony is Eff's older brother," Emily realized that Naomi mentioned also meeting Cook, "You met Cook as well?" Naomi nodded and the redhead's smile turned into a look of sympathy. "And how'd that go for you?" Both of them were smiling now. Naomi might have just met Cook but she already knew that Emily was implying Cook's vulgar yet somehow charming ways.

"It was nice, trying to get me in bed before I even knew his name."

"Yeah that sounds like Cook," Emily rolled her eyes as Naomi was gazing intently at her.

"Why was he there? Is he Tony's boyfriend or something?" Emily's eyes returned to the blonde.

"No, Eff and Cook are in a relationship that isn't really a relationship but I don't want to bore you with the details so I guess I'll just say that Cook is with Effy…sort of. Cook and Tony get along, but Cook is the straightest of the straight and these days he only has eyes for Effy."

"Yeah? Then why was he trying to seduce me with his chivalrous ways?"

"I told you I didn't want to bore you with the details didn't I?" Emily raised her eye brows and leaned toward the blonde.

"You won't bore me, and if you do, I'll tell you," Naomi wanted to jump in the air and rejoice at the fact that she had successfully steered Emily away from what was sure to be a wreckage. Emily narrowed her eyes before continuing.

"Fine, but after I do, we're going back to you," Naomi's face fell, "What? You actually thought I forgot?" Emily asked, amusement dancing across her face. Naomi's eyes flashed to the carpet.

"It was worth a try…" She muttered and Emily bit her lip to keep herself from beaming at the blonde. She looked like a child who had just been who had just been caught.

"Well after I finish explaining, we can go back to you explaining. A break would be nice; you know…sometimes opening up gets too emotionally stressful. Right?" She deliberately laced her voice with a hint of accusation but not so much that her knowledge of Naomi's lies would be made obvious. Blue eyes snapped up to meet with brown and there was a moment of hesitation before Naomi nodded. "Right well, Effy does care for Cook, she's just scared to show it. Cook cares for Effy but he's supposed to be someone who people see as incapable of love. They think Cook goes through life without a care in the world. Which is bollocks because I know Cook is the exact opposite. He cares about every one and people take him for granted. They don't see that he cares more than anyone but since he expresses it differently, it comes off as the opposite. Effy sees that too. And I think that's what scares her the most. She doesn't want to ruin something that she finds so beautiful. She thinks that if she gives herself to Cook, that she'll soil him, sort of ruin the lovable boy she fell in love with."

Naomi actually thought she would be bored by the explanation, but now she craved more. Everything about how Emily spoke of their relationship pulled her in. From how she understood both sides, to the way her lips moved to form the words. It took Naomi back to yesterday when she first saw Emily and how everything about the redhead had made her feel welcome.

"I get why Effy feels that way, but I don't like how she won't just trust me when I tell her it'll be okay, and how she doesn't trust Cook to not change. I know he won't change, if anything, he'll be even happier. He just wants Effy to be his, but she won't give herself even though he threw himself at her a long time ago," Emily pauses to shake her head, "Cook has been through so much just to make Effy happy. Once in college, he told me about how Effy had chosen his best mate over Cook. You know how terrible that is? He could have done the easy thing and just fought for Effy, but he didn't."

"How is that the easy thing? Wouldn't it be easier to let her go?" Naomi was confused as to why Emily thought that Cook fighting for Effy rather than moving on would be easier. Emily looked up and her eyes were filled with determination.

"Well, Freddie –the guy Effy chose- was Cooks best mate. And Effy was the only girl Cook had ever loved. It would have been easy to just take Effy and be mad at Freddie, anyone can do that. But then what would Cook have been left with? He'd be best friendless and Effy probably wouldn't have been very happy. What Cook did is heartbreaking and honestly I think it's inspiring. He put aside what he wanted and gave what was best for the two people he loved. He let Freddie take Effy and he let them be happy. Inside he was obviously a mess. Can you imagine how much it would fucking hurt to watch the one girl you ever loved, with someone else? And then you can't even hate the guy or talk shit about him because he's your best mate. I don't know anyone aside from Cook who's strong enough to get through that."

Still amazed at how observant Emily was, Naomi picked her jaw off the floor and asked a question that she had been dying to ask.

"What happened to Freddie?"

"Sorry?"

"Well from what you've said, I'm guessing Freddie and Effy broke up, since Cook is the one I saw in the waiting room, and not Freddie."

"Right," Emily shakes her head, "Sorry, Freddie and Eff broke up after Effy tried to commit suicide." Shock displays on the blonde's face. "Yeah, from what Cook and Eff had told me, it was pretty fucked up. Freddie always said he'd be there for Effy. Then, right when she needs him the most he fucks off. Well, he tried to. Tried to run away before Cook came home with Effy. After that, Cook didn't care if Eff had chosen Freddie over him. Freddie was a worthless tosser and he wasn't what Effy needed. She needed someone who could hold themselves and her. Someone who could keep her stable. And that wasn't fucking Freddie."

"Wait, but then why won't Effy give herself to Cook? If she has eyes, wouldn't she see that Cooks always been there for her?" Naomi surprises herself with an understanding of someone whom she hasn't even met. _I'm getting better at this. _Emily shakes her head.

"Like I said, she thinks she'll ruin him."

"Where did she get that idea?"

"She thinks that she ruined Freddie and that him turning out to be useless was her fault but-"

"But it's the other way around. He ruined her." Emily gawked at Naomi and her lips slowly curled into a smile.

"Yeah, yeah exactly…" Both girls shared a moment of understanding. Where they realized that Naomi had actually peeked through whatever it was that she protected herself with, and allowed herself to understand Effy and Cooks relationship. Emily was still blind to the real Naomi, but it was nice to know that the real Naomi could be sympathetic to the motives of others. The blonde however was scolding herself.

_Fucks sake Naomi. How many steps have you completely ignored? You're off topic _and _you've let yourself slip…again. That's step one and three. And you haven't even finished the story so I guess that means step two is fucked as well. Nice. _

"Sad thing is, we've had to rebuild Effy from what Freddie and John did."

"John?"

"Yeah, he was her counselor after she tried to kill herself. Tony says John did more bad than good. He didn't even help Effy with her problems, he just kind of told her to forget about it. Cook and Effy's mum saw that Effy got worse and they pulled her out. Good thing too," Emily's fists were clenched and she was sneering into space as she recalled all the methods Effy had told Emily that John used, "I can't stand people like John. Being a psychologist means you have this power to make or break a person."

"And he broke her."

Emily squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. "Are you scared that you'll do that?" Naomi's question caused Emily's eyes to suddenly open and look at the blonde in awe. "If you are, you have nothing to worry about."

"W-what do you mean by-"

"I don't think you would hurt a ball of lint."

"…How would you hurt a ball of-?"

"I don't know Emily but I know you wouldn't do it." Emily grins and looks down at the wooden floor. Naomi is smiling at the redhead when she suddenly remembers something she has been meaning to ask. "Is it weird that I don't call you Dr. Fitch and you call me Naomi?" Emily's face scrunches but she doesn't look up at Naomi. She opens her mouth and closes it again before finally looking up at the blonde.

"I don't think so? I think it would be weirder if you did call me Dr. Fitch." Naomi's eyes go wide as the red head speaks the exact words that Naomi had said to Chris. "What?" Naomi grins and shrugs.

"It's just odd how you and I think alike." Emily couldn't help but scoff at Naomi's comment. When the blonde looked up looking a mix between confused and hurt. Emily quickly corrected herself.

"I just…thought it was funny that you think that. I wasn't making fun of you or anything."

"Why is it funny?" Naomi asked pouting slightly.

_Because I have no fucking idea what's going on inside your head, you're a total mystery to me and it makes me feel like a blinded bat. So when you say we think alike, I don't even know what to think. Because I don't even know what's going on inside _my _head. Because I feel like when you walk through that door, that I'm being consoled by you and not the other way around. _"I dunno." Naomi eyed the redhead suspiciously because Emily had taken a moment and Naomi saw that she was thinking. About what, she had no idea.

Emily reminded herself of the task at hand. "Naomi?"

"Hmmm?"

"You want to tell me the real reason why you keep people away now?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well fuck. You wanna know how long this chapter is? 8000+ words. What the fuck? Why was I so inspired to write? BECAUSE I GOT SO PISSED AT THE RIOTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE UK. If they're still happening the I'm sorry and I hope you guys stay safe. This one goes out to anyone and everyone effected by those riots. So I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and if you got confused, let me explain: That little thing about Kieran is present day. So as Naomi is having her session with Emily, thats whats going on with Kieran. But...what is that exactly? Wouldnt you like to know? And just in case you got confused with the whole brother thing let me elaborate: Remember when I said that, Oliver, the little bitch kid that kept tripping his sister, reminded Naomi of her brother? If you go back, youll see I actually said "one of them anyways." And then later I said that the ever charming Liam, reminded her of Derek. So one would concure that 1 brother couldnt be both nice and a bitch. So THERES TWO BROTHERS. As shown with Kieran and David when he mentions that Derek had brown hair and green eyes like his father, but was loving and caring like his mother. And Edmund, Naomi's other brother, had blonde hair and blue eyes like Naomi and Gina. But was a little shit. So I guess that leaves you to wonder...what was Naomi's dad like? And no i didnt kill off freddie because even though I hate HATE HATE Freffy, Ceffy would only work if Freddie was alive and well. Because if he was dead, then that would only make Effy love Cook by default or something? Wow. My authors notes are like porportioned to my chapters. I'll go now. OH WAIT. To "thefuckerwhoreviews"...i like you...stay around here and review my shit again you lovely fucker. LONG AND THOROUGH REVIEWS ARE THE BEST. **


	6. Chapter 6: Battleship Style

**Chapter 6: Battleship Style**

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><p>The room has no windows. It's cold, it's damp, and he can barely see anything in front of him. Not that there's anything to see really. He's completely by himself in this concrete room. That's fine by him, he prefers it that way. It gives him an opportunity to think. He can't even imagine what it would be like if someone else was in here. They'd probably try to pick a fight and attempt at beating him senseless; they'd have no avail though. Kieran might by going on 50 years old but if he ever had to defend himself, age would just be a number. Kieran rubs his knees, they were raw from kneeling so long and they're distracting him from coming up with a strategy. He did need a strategy because after all, soon he'd be enduring some kind of torture and he couldn't go in there with just a very high tolerance for pain. Kieran would have to conjure up some sort of plan to keep Naomi safe. His plan didn't necessarily need to involve him living. The Irishman's life meant nothing to him anymore; he would willingly give it up for Naomi and he knew that David knew that as well. David wouldn't kill him until they knew for sure where Naomi was, and maybe not even then. If in some alternate universe Kieran <em>did <em>tell them where Naomi was, David would probably keep him alive and use him as bait.

That's probably what made this so much harder for Kieran, the fact that David had no limits. No morals. He was ruthless. Nothing was too gory or gruesome for David. He took a moment to assess his current condition. Obviously his knees ached. His body longed for something to eat but he probably wouldn't be able to stomach anything at the moment. There was some sort of throbbing in his left ear and he realizes that when David backhanded him, he was wearing a ring _and _a watch. Other than the physical pain and the bit of hunger, both of which he had barely noticed, Kieran was otherwise unharmed. He sighs and resumes his thinking, and as he drifts off into his thoughts, the pain and his empty stomach are forgotten.

He's been here for a week and they have only started torturing him yesterday. Not that it has affected him, most of the time he forgets he's even being tortured. Between the facts that Kieran has been trained for events such as this and the non-strategic methods that Tyler and Adam have been using, Kieran feels that the word "torture" is an exaggeration for what has been done to him. Hanging him upside down, whipping the soles of his feet, starvation, and only small sips of water are child's play compared to what Kieran was expecting them to do. He wasn't complaining though, it was good to know that he didn't need to worry about his well-being and could focus entirely on Naomi's. The only problem was he had no idea how he could protect Naomi from this sodding cell he was being held in. There was no escape that was for sure. Not from in here. If Kieran wanted to make it out of here, it would have to be while he was taken to the torture room. Or if by some stroke of luck, they decided to take him back to David's office or even take him outside, he could surely escape.

Kieran shuts his eyes and shakes his head vigorously. He's thinking about himself too much, Naomi should be the main focus here. He takes in a deep breath and mentally reminds himself of Naomi's current situation. She's in London, with Chris and she's living in a suite that was a gift to her family many years ago when her father was a toddler. It wasn't under her family's name so David's father and David himself had never thought to look there. She would be safe. Even if David had some of his people search Kieran's home in Bristol, there would be nothing to trace back to Naomi. 21 years of the Irishman's life had been dedicated to protecting Naomi, so he wasn't an amateur who left things that could potentially give the blonde's whereabouts away, lying around the house. David could search high and low and he wouldn't find a single clue as to where Naomi was, that bought Kieran some time. Eventually, David would once again start to dig for answers from Kieran. Answers that he would never get. He wasn't worried that David would find something in Kieran's house because there wasn't anything to find. He wasn't scared that David's torture would work because it wouldn't. There were two things that did terrify him.

_What if I die in this place and there's nobody left to protect Naomi? _

If Kieran was dead, and David was still alive and searching for her, there would be no one to warn Naomi…no one to help her escape if that's what it turned out she had to do.

_What if Naomi comes looking for me?_

Naomi and Kieran obviously still kept in touch, but in a way that was safe and utterly "Kieran-fied" as the blonde commonly referred to it as. So once Naomi realized that Kieran wasn't answering after years of never missing a call, she would naturally become suspicious. He prayed she wouldn't, but he knew that Naomi would get anxious and possibly go to check on him. Thousands of scenarios were running through Kieran's head of what could happen to her if she did. That often happened, even Naomi told him he over thought things. It was the over thinking that had saved their lives though. Unlike Naomi, Kieran didn't feel bothered by thinking of their past. He thought of it repeatedly and although sometimes it wouldn't affect him, other times he would blame himself and think of how he could have saved a number of lives that night. He bangs the back of his head into the wall he's been sitting against, and he has no reaction to the pain he's supposed to feel. His body is more focused on the emotional pain that eats away at him. Looking back, he could have done so much and instead he just barely made it out with Naomi. Who knows how many of them would have made it if Kieran had just reacted faster. Clenching his fists, he swears that history will not repeat itself. Naomi will live.

* * *

><p>She could have sworn that she had more time. She thought for sure that Emily would have been distracted for at least another 5 minutes or so, but of course not. Maybe Naomi wouldn't have been so shaken up if Emily had merely asked the blonde to continue the story. Did she? No.<p>

Dr. Emily Fitch saw right through her and it was obvious that she knew that Naomi had fabricated that entire story. It was annoying. More than annoying, it was….frustrating. In every sense of the word. Naomi didn't understand why couldn't Emily just believe everything the blonde said like everyone else did? Even if there were a few holes in the story that Emily had noticed, why couldn't she just have left it alone? Why did Emily have to care? The blonde would have to get used to adjusting to Emily's knowing ways, because one slip might be enough to give Emily all the information she needs.

Emily patiently waited for Naomi's reply and took advantage of Naomi being distracted by her own thoughts, to give another attempt at reading her. Brown eyes began to scrutinize the blonde. Her blue eyes gave away nothing. Emily deflated slightly at that, because even one look at Effy's eyes and she would know everything and anything Effy was thinking. Emily shouldn't feel so defeated though. This wasn't her first attempt at checking Naomi's eyes for answers and coming up with nothing. She had done it many times yesterday, and even more times today. She supposed that it was just the hope that maybe each time would be different that had resulted in her disappointment. The hope that maybe Naomi would falter slightly or maybe even willingly let Emily in. The redhead internally scoffed at herself, she knew that someone like Naomi would take some time. Then again, Naomi had surprised her and proven almost all of her assumptions wrong. Emily hoped that the blonde would do the same in this assumption and open up soon. It was only hope.

Accepting the fact that Naomi's eyes with their hard exterior would not crack, Emily moved to her posture and mannerisms. Shoulders slightly hunched, hands fidgeting and biting her lip, Naomi was giving mixed signals. The fidgeting hands were simple, she was nervous. Probably from being caught in the act. Hunched shoulders could mean a multitude of things but Emily suspected that it also went with her being caught. With some disappointment in there somewhere. The lip biting is what threw Emily off course for a few reasons. The first one being that lip biting is usually used with uncertainty but the redhead had seen Naomi use it specifically when she was uncomfortable. Many people would say it's the same thing but Emily knew there was a fine line between the two. The second thing that threw her off was that the way Naomi was currently biting her lip suggested that she was thinking, rather than uncomfortable. Again, the mixed signals making this increasingly difficult for Emily. Finally the third reason was how ridiculously cute Naomi looked when she bit her lip. It didn't make her look vulnerable, Naomi never looked vulnerable. Instead, she looked innocent. Not younger but definitely more innocent. It was distracting. Emily was brought back by the blonde finally making a decision.

Naomi had stopped biting her lip, straightened up and her hands became still. The blonde looked the redhead straight in the eyes and spoke.

"Nope," Naomi waited for Emily's objection.

Emily smiled softly at Naomi, "Okay." In all honesty, Naomi probably would have preferred objection than this. This irritated her even more, how Emily could easily just put things off and be so calm. The redhead watched as Naomi became very obviously annoyed and raised an eyebrow. The blonde sighed and shrugged.

"Why don't you press it?" Naomi asked exasperated. Emily's smile was a bit larger now and her head was turned slightly as she looked at Naomi suspiciously.

"Haven't we had this conversation before? Like…yesterday?" Another shrug from the blonde. Emily purses her lips before seeing that Naomi genuinely wants an answer, "Because if you don't want to tell me then why should I try and make you? You'll do it when you're ready and, if I tried to make you tell me when you're not then what good is it telling me at all?" Naomi looked up at the redhead and they sat there in another comfortable silence as the blonde picked at the carpet and Emily watched. After a while, the silence was broken by Naomi scoffing at her own thoughts. "What?" Emily had seen some sort of inner discussion going on inside Naomi for a while now. The blonde shook her head and smirked before looking back up at Emily.

"I'm just…not used to having conversations like this." Emily's confusion was evident on her face.

"Conversations like this..."

"Yeah. Deep ones, meaningful ones," Emily raises an eyebrow, "Chris, my best mate, he's not really a deep and meaningful guy. Well I mean sometimes he is but only when he's pilled up, and when he does get all deep and meaningful, I don't really know what he's on about. It's not that he's stupid, because he's not. It's just he-what?" Naomi stopped at the look she saw on Emily's face. It was a mix between amused and proud. It wasn't exactly what the blonde was expecting. She had been self-conscious about her rambling and the way Emily had been looking at her made her feel even worse.

"Nothing…this is just the most you've ever said about yourself," Emily realized that this wasn't really about Naomi but about her best mate, "Well, anything about yourself." It seems as if Naomi is thinking the same thing, and what she says next only confirms Emily's theory.

"But it's not about me, it's about Chris." Emily nods.

"Even though it is about Chris, he's still part of your life so it still counts." _We're getting somewhere. _Emily thinks. On the inside, she is celebrating ever so slightly at the thought of making progress. The blonde nods and is hit with an idea for a loop hole.

"So I can talk about other people in my life?" If Emily was content with Naomi avoiding the real topic and just feeding her information about everyone else Naomi knew, then so be it.

"Yeah, but it can't just be anyone."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, you can't just bring up an acquaintance or a friend," Naomi furrowed her brow, "It's got to be someone that really and truly matters in your life. Someone who when you think about them leaving, you feel uneasy." Emily had no idea how much her statement applied to Naomi's life. Or rather, how much it _used _to apply to her life. All the people that made Naomi 'uneasy' at the thought of them leaving have already left. The only people that she could probably mention are Kieran and Chris, but mentioning Kieran would mean having to explain why from age 10 Naomi had to live with Kieran and not her parents. Mentioning her parents would bring her back to that one night. Mentioning that one night, would mean Naomi having to pack her bags and disappear. It was so new to her, having to tip toe around someone. Usually people were too gullible to suspect anything. Naomi had been in control up until now. It was clear that Emily wasn't gullible. The redhead might not have been able to read Naomi's mind but she was pretty fucking close. The blonde thinks of what Kieran would do in a situation like this. _He would come up with a strategy and outsmart her. _ Naomi lays out her options. Obviously lying hasn't worked. Distracting hasn't worked. The only thing that seemed to be semi effective was just being completely honest and direct with Emily by saying that she didn't want to talk about it. The blonde sighs as she looks back up at Emily and she decides what to do next. She suddenly remembers that Emily knew that she was lying so Naomi's story must have sounded ridiculous. Heat rushes to her cheeks and her eyes flash to the floor. She cringes at the embarrassment and tries to hide it, but Emily's been watching Naomi's entire inner debate and the blushing doesn't go unnoticed.

"What?" They are both only separated by a small amount of space and an invisible line that separates the room into two. So every little motion that is made by Naomi, Emily sees. She may not know exactly what they all mean, but still. The taller girl chews on the inside of her cheek. _Of course she would fucking notice. _

"How long did it take you to realize my story was rubbish?" Emily fought back the smile that was forming on her lips.

"Not very long. At the very beginning actually."

"Then why didn't you take the piss? You knew I was shit so why didn't you?"

"What fun would that have been? I got to see your acting skills and I've got to say, I'm quite impressed. That was some pretty believable crying." Emily smirked at the blonde who was now also smiling.

"How long would you have let me go? Before you stopped the show?" Emily pretended to be in deep thought, and a small laugh escaped from Naomi's throat.

"Well…probably when it was obvious that you were running out of ideas," Naomi nodded.

"So it was obvious."

"What was?"

"That I was making it up on the spot. I didn't really have time to plan it…"

"Well I think it was a fine attempt at a life changing event. Probably could have had a giant squid of something though. Make it more interesting." They're eyes met and they snickered at Naomi's poor ability to make up a good solid lie. Naomi found it a bit funnier though. She's told so many people fibs about herself and sometimes she did want to laugh at how ridiculous they were, but things had always been so serious that she never had that chance. This was the first time she felt able to look at herself and laugh. Then she remembered that this also meant that Emily could potentially destroy all sense of calm as quickly as she gave it. If Naomi got too comfortable, everything would slip. The smile on the blonde's face slowly faded and as she reassembled her thoughts and priorities, a Kieran inspired idea makes its way into her head. Before she can put it into play, the small redhead in front of her speaks up.

"You didn't have to lie to me you know," Naomi's head slowly lifts to meet Emily's gaze, "If you didn't want to tell me…you could have just said that." Emily is careful in choosing her words. She is secretly hurt that the blonde had attempted to trick her, but she can't let Naomi know that. It would make Emily seem vulnerable and powerless and if she ever wants Naomi to trust her, Emily needs to have some sort of authority or Naomi would just mop the floor with her. "I know this is only our second appointment and expecting anything from you might be a little out of line but…"

"I just want to get this over with." Naomi blurted out, and once again wanted to scold her vocal cords for not behaving. If she could get in one day where she could control herself around Emily then maybe this would go a lot smoother. As she finished saying the last word, Naomi began to conjure up excuses as to what that meant. The sentence was cryptic and could mean anything which worked to her advantage because she could bend and flex it to become something else entirely. What she really meant was that nobody knew the truth about her and the first person definitely wasn't going to be somebody she had only known for two days. Even if Emily's intention were pure and not in any way pernicious, it wouldn't matter when she was dead. Naomi was greatly disturbed at the thought of a world where Emily wasn't there…_to help other people. _

"Get what over with?" The redhead's voice cut Naomi's thinking short. She was suddenly reminded that she needed to give her an answer that wasn't suspicious but wasn't exactly a lie, because Emily would detect the lie right away. As Naomi scoured for a reply, Emily sat once again studying the blonde. She decided that not knowing a person's thoughts wasn't all bad. In fact, it made everything so much more _interesting._ Emily isn't totally and completely clueless as to what the blonde's actions mean, she was more understanding than anyone else had ever been, a bit too close in Naomi's opinion. But the level of understanding that Emily held was still significantly smaller compared to how it was with everyone else she'd ever met. It made it harder for Emily to do her job, but at the same time…it was nice to be able to just _be. _She didn't feel like Emily the psychologist, she felt like Emily. Just Emily. It was alleviating. As soon as the feeling came, it went because Emily was reminded she was supposed to be having a similar effect on Naomi. Not the other way around. _Come on Emily, focus. _She reminded herself that _she _was the counselor and she needed to remain in control because Naomi was seeking _her _help. Even if it didn't exactly seem that way.

"This whole thing," The blonde finally answered, "just get it all over and done with and move on." Realizing that there was more truth in that than she had originally planned for, Naomi just prayed that Emily wouldn't understand what she meant. That way, the blonde could get another chance at explaining.

"Confessing you mean?" Emily hadn't really understood so this was Naomi's window of opportunity. _Don't fuck it up. _

"No, just having to come see you." _Fucks sake. This is bloody ridiculous. One sentence, can I get in one sentence? _This verbal diarrhea was going to be Naomi's down fall. There was no getting out of this; she had practically told Emily the whole truth about her situation. She shut her eyes and braced herself for the recoil that was sure to come.

Except...it never came.

Emily sat gazing at the blonde with her best poker face. It did fool Naomi into thinking that it didn't affect her or provoke her in anyway but that wasn't the case. Questions were racing back and forth in Emily's head. Most of them angry, but at the same time impressed. She was once again reminded of her anger that was caused from Naomi trying to deceive her, and of course to find out that the blonde had no intention of even trying to get help was upsetting. Naomi just kept avoiding, but contradicting to that, Naomi had also been so straight forward with Emily that it was admirable. Most people that came to Emily weren't this honest. People in general weren't this honest. Naomi had just straight up told the redhead that she didn't want to be here and that she had fabricated an entire story to get out of it. _Do you realize how contradictory this is? Being honest about lying. _It was at that moment that Emily realized something. Something that had come from pure compassion for another human being. Maybe her psychologist side of her brain had something to do with the newfound understanding of the blonde but, she was pretty sure it was just the non-psychologist part of her mind. Emily's head slowly tilted to the side as she started to comprehend this small part of Naomi, the most contradictory person Emily had met up until now. As the redhead began to piece the idea together, she felt a wave of excitement spread through her. It wasn't really much, but it was the most Emily had deduced about Naomi in the two days they had known each other. Again, it wasn't much. Emily now knew that for whatever reason, Naomi's head told her one thing and her heart another. Really, she should have noticed this the second the blonde had walked in and was unable to pick a side right away. If both sides appealed to her then that should have already told Emily that this woman was different. Not in a bad way of course, just her body wasn't in sync with itself. One part wanted one thing, another part wanted the other. That wasn't necessarily the purpose behind Naomi keeping everyone away; it was just a little detail to the main problem. A symptom of the disease if you will. Not that Naomi is sick or anything. There were hundreds of possibilities for Naomi's actions and Emily shouldn't just diagnose her with the first notion. However, Emily stored that hypothesis for later. She would have to remember little details like this for when it was time for the final evaluation. Whenever that may be.

Her eyes had been on Naomi for quite some time, and the blonde didn't seem to mind. Even though Naomi knew she was being scrutinized, and felt antsy from Emily's gaze on her, she calmed down after a while and most of the uncomfort was gone. Naomi might not have been completely at ease, but she was much more comfortable than she usually was. Unless she did her relaxing exercise, Naomi was pretty much always a little on edge. It was nice to be so calm and at the same time conscious. Both girls sat not bothered by the silence that fell upon them. Emily was carefully deciding what words to use when she replied to Naomi, and the blonde was absently staring at the wooden floor Emily sat on. They were the same color as the redhead's eyes but Naomi didn't take notice of this. She just meaninglessly stared at it as the time went by. Emily had no idea how she should approach Naomi without taking any steps back. They haven't really taken any steps forward to begin with but still, she wouldn't risk that. She places he elbows on her knees; her right hand makes a fist while her left hand is placed on top of it. Placing her chin on her hands, her eyes once again fall onto Naomi as the taller girl is practically unaware of the world around her.

"Am I really so horrible?" Emily had chosen a joking reply to keep things light. She had taken notice that that was how Naomi seemed to like things. Light.

Their eyes met as Naomi finally looked up from the floor and a smile was tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're not so bad, a little nosey maybe, but not so terrible." Naomi smirked and Emily raised an eyebrow, fighting back a grin.

"I'm not nosey…it's my job to find these things out." Naomi nods.

"Yeah, it is your job but that still isn't an excuse. That's like a doctor saying he's smart because it's his job," Emily furrowed her brow at Naomi's explanation. "You already have whatever trait makes you good at your profession. It doesn't _come _with the job. You're born with it." Emily takes the blonde's theory into consideration and her hands fall back down into the space between her crossed legs.

"I suppose that is true," A thought occurred to Emily, "What do you do?"

"Pardon?"

"If I was born curious and that helps me be a therapist, then what do you do?" Naomi looked down and ran her fingers through the white carpet.

"I help run an environmentalist group. I used to be a volunteer but the owner's son and the owner himself both want to shag me so I was promoted a few years ago to an actual paying position."

"You think that's why you were promoted?" Emily doesn't believe Naomi was where she was now on pure looks, Naomi was beautiful but there was definitely a brain in there.

"Not totally, I was the most zealous volunteer but it's definitely due to William playing matchmaker." The blonde shakes her head in disgust. Emily makes a sly glance at her notepad and pen that are on her chair behind Naomi. She curses herself for not having remembered to pick them up.

"William?" She asks as she debates whether or not to get up and risk ruining Naomi's little anecdote, or risk forgetting everything coming out of Naomi's mouth.

"Yeah, he's the owner and Liam is his son. Always perving on me." Emily's tilts her head in confusion.

"Liam or William?"

"Both."

They both laugh quietly at Naomi's joke even though it's completely true. This time, Naomi sees when Emily looks at something behind her.

"Need something?" Emily smiles shyly at being caught. She doesn't want to tell Naomi that she wants her notepad to write this all down because that tends to remind people where they are. It usually stops them from talking, and with someone as guarded as Naomi, chances are that something like this won't happen often.

"Erm yeah, do you mind if I-?" Emily motions toward the notepad and pen. Naomi doesn't even turn around to look at them when she replies.

"Go ahead, wouldn't want you to forget any of this now would you?" Naomi's bluntness catches Emily off guard. If the blonde if fully aware of her surroundings and still choses to talk then maybe she's not as guarded as Emily previously believed. The red head purses her lips and nods graciously as she stands up. Naomi bits her lip as a small pang of guilt creeps up on her. It was obvious to the blonde that Emily thought that all of these little stories that Naomi kept telling were important. They weren't. Naomi didn't mind talking about Chris or Liam or anyone that wasn't a directly related to her past. They didn't matter. Naomi could tell Emily about Chris' entire life story and the redhead would probably scribble down every word thinking it was relevant. She shook her head slightly as she realized that Emily probably saw this as Naomi "opening up" or however the redhead referred to it as. She wasn't. In Naomi's eyes, they were talking about nonsense. Things that had nothing to do with who she was. In Emily's eyes, they were inching towards progress.

Emily picked up the pen and notepad and turned on her heels and began making her way back to Naomi. A smile was plastered on her face at the thought of getting somewhere with Naomi. Little did she know that they wouldn't be able to take even a single step forward unless Naomi made a life changing confession.

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><p><strong>AN: 11 days. 11 DAYS SINCE THE LAST UPDATE. Im a terrible author. Anyways SCHOOL STARTS ON MONDAY. So update will probably come less often...Im so sorry. Did you guys notice the absence of updates during the summer and then suddenly school starts and all the amazing authors and updates start coming out of the fucking bushes? So frustrating. If you havent noticed by now, Tyler was my least favorite ex. Fucking hated him. Adam was a nice guy, we went ended up being really good friends(': And Simone is probably the best ex in the history of exes. SHE BOUGHT ME A PUPPY FOR MY BIRTHDAY. (late birthday present but still) Shes awesome. I mentioned to her that she's in this story and she read it and laughed at how I wrote her so ridiculously. She told me to show a softer side of Simone which I told her to fuck off because shes not a main character. Anyways. Please tell me your predictions, how i fucked up, if maybe I actually did something good for once, if I made you laugh, anything really? Oh and I think you guys should start reading carefully to pick up some clues. You'll need them later on. Before I go, the last chapter was longer than 9000 words and I got 2 reviews. If you want more updates...GIVE ME MORE REVIEWS. Until next time, OR NOT...**


	7. Chapter 7: When You Feel It

**Chapter 7: When You Feel It**

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><p>The blonde woman is beaming at her. Taking in her every physical characteristic.<p>

"Look at you. You've grown haven't you?"

The younger blonde smiles. "That kind of what happens after eleven years mum."

"I'm just saying love; it's nice to see you." The older blonde tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her daughter's ear. Her daughter looks up with unsure eyes.

"Have you been watching me? Or can you not watch?" Her mother strokes her cheek with her thumb affectionately.

"Oh you know you're father. Never wanting to dwell on anything that makes him human." The daughter breathes out a sharp laugh. "But I watch as much as I can."

"And?"

"I'm so sorry it turned out like this." The daughter sighs and takes her mother's hand from her cheek and puts it in between her own. "But I'm proud of how you're dealing with it."

"It wasn't your fault mum."

"It wasn't his fault either…you realize that don't you love?"

"Kind of." Her mother smirks.

"Well let's hope that kind of is enough. But I have a hunch that you'll change your mind soon." Her mother backs away and their hands fall to their sides.

"Wait! Mum! Where are you going?" She attempts to go after her mother but some force is holding her in place.

"It's time for me to go now sweetheart."

"So soon? But-"

"You'll see me again." She reassures her.

"When?" The younger blonde is desperate now.

"When you need me the most."

.

.

.

Naomi wakes up to the usual silence in her flat. All of her limbs feel heavy and her mind is groggy. Her body felt like it had been running a marathon all night. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was still pretty early. She decided that since she hadn't had a very good sleep last night that she would stay in bed a bit longer. Naomi tossed and turned but couldn't fall back asleep. She was wide awake but was too lazy to get up just yet. For a few minutes, she lay there thinking of nothing at all, until she remembered the end of yesterday's session with Emily. Her face scrunches up in disgust as she recalls the events that took place. She groans and pulls the duvet over her head.

* * *

><p>Emily had taken her place on the wooden floor while Naomi was still sat on the carpet. The blonde waited patiently as Emily wrote down Liam and William's names and what Naomi had said about them. She hopes that with all of the useless information she was giving Emily that the smaller girl would come up with some kind of answer to Naomi's "problem". Not a real answer though. The blonde was hoping for Emily to make an inaccurate conclusion on her own. It would save the blonde from so much stress and frustration. If Emily came up with her own assumption off of Naomi's little stories, then Naomi wouldn't have to lie because Emily would be working off the truth. She would just be assuming wrong. The blonde wouldn't have to conjure up any more stories, she would just have to feed Emily truthful information and hope that the smaller girl saw something that wasn't there. With any luck, Naomi would just have to nod her head while Emily gave her theory. The blonde wouldn't deny any of Emily's suggestions; maybe she wouldn't have to say anything at all. If she just lets Emily's mind go free to wander, the idea would take care of itself. Sort of like having someone do an inception on themselves without them realizing it. Naomi bites her lip as the guilt begins to spread through her entire body. Emily was genuinely just trying to help. Naomi knew exactly what she would have to say for the redhead to understand and have even a chance at helping, but that didn't mean Naomi was going to do it. There was an endless list as to why she couldn't tell Emily or anyone in general, and that list has haunted Naomi for years. The blonde pried her eyes off of the overly eager redhead that was sat before her, finishing up the last of her notes. Emily looks up at Naomi and smiles encouragingly. Naomi pauses for a moment, forgetting what she had been talking about.<p>

"What was I saying?" Emily lets out a small snort like laugh.

"About what you do and what makes you good at it," Naomi nods and looks away as she gathers her thoughts, "Well actually, you only said what you do…not what makes you good at it." Emily hopes whatever Naomi replies won't be as cryptic as many of her answers are. Knowing a dominant trait in Naomi's personality will be helpful for Emily in understanding the blonde. For a moment, Naomi thinks of all the things that make her good at what she does. Then reality dawns upon her and she thinks of all the things she was _born _to do. She sighs.

"I guess anyone could do my job," Naomi says this softly and isn't looking at Emily directly. The redhead is listening carefully. _Not cryptic so far… _"And even though I do have a few traits that make me good at it…it's not what I was born to do." Naomi looks up at Emily. "I'm doing what I want to do. Not what I was born to do." _Cryptic…fuck. _The redhead inwardly sighs at Naomi's teasing ways. Then Emily sighs out loud at how completely contradictory Naomi is. She is so blunt and straight forward but at the same time so vague and evasive. She puts herself out to be tough and secure but Emily had reasons to believe that Naomi had softer core. How much softer, she didn't know.

All these contradictions, they gave Emily a head ache, in a good way. The headache was caused by Emily being so completely fascinated by the blonde that her mind was scrambling to grasp the concept of Naomi Campbell. Even though Emily was intrigued by Naomi and what made her tick, she still had to take baby steps to prevent having to take any steps back. Instead of questioning Naomi for answers, the redhead simply nods her head thoughtfully and writes down the blonde's exact words.

_"I'm doing what I want to do. Not what I was born to do."_

The small girl stares at Naomi's statement. It was two sentences. What could be said in two sentences? Not much, and yet her was this labyrinth that was constructed of just two sentences. She tries to break down the concept of whatever Naomi had meant in those two sentences by taking in each word one at a time.

Ultimately coming up with nothing, Emily puts a question mark next to them. The redhead looks back up at Naomi and still says nothing, to which Naomi is grateful for because the blonde felt that yet again, she had given away more than she would have liked. The blonde gives nothing away, and neither does Emily. Both girls are playing a strategic game in which losing means losing control. There is a slight pause, but like all of the silences between them, it isn't uncomfortable. Each girl is encased in her own thoughts. Emily decides an innocent approach is the best way to go.

"So how long have you worked for Liam?"

"William."

"Sorry?"

"William is the one I work for. He's Liam's dad, and Liam is my partner," Naomi realizes what that could be interpreted as and quickly corrects herself, "at work….he's my work partner." Emily writes down Liam's and William's names.

_Liam- Son  
>William-Father<br>_

Taking a second look at both of their names, a smile begins to form on Emily's face. Naomi catches this and furrows her eyebrows before questioning the redhead.

"What?"

"Their names," she says in between small chuckles, "William and Liam." She chuckles some more.

Naomi looks around, still not getting it.

"Yeah? And…" Emily looks at Naomi like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Liam is just short for William. Wil-LIAM? It's ridiculous! It's like he wasn't creative enough to come up with a different name, so he just cut his name in half! That's like if I had a baby girl and named her 'Mily'!" Naomi fights back a grin. William has always wanted Liam to be just like him. Now that she had become aware about the whole name situation, the whole relationship between father and son was just silly.

"Or if I named my daughter 'Omi'!" Naomi snickered.

"Omi Campbell!" Her body shooting forward with laughter, Emily dropped the notepad as well as the pen and her arms went to her abdomen. After all, the laughter was causing a great deal of pressure on it. Naomi covered her mouth slightly with one hand as she cackled almost too loudly. She was always a bit subconscious about her laugh.

Neither girl was aware that the exchange wasn't as funny as they thought it out to be. It was just the immense amount of caution that they were both taking, had wound the mood up so tight, that even this barely laughable conversation seemed hilarious. When their laughter died down, the blonde spoke first.

"Oh god…" She says with the smile still firmly in place. Naomi sighs and tries to resume breathing normally. Emily's laughter began to die down as well, and she wipes a forming tear from her eye. When their eyes met, they each let out a small snicker. "Did we really just laugh at that?"

"Afraid so…" Naomi shakes her head.

"We can't tell anyone about this…we would be locked up."

"It would take a little more for them to lock us away Naomi. Laughing at terrible jokes wouldn't necessarily justify being put in an insane asylum." Naomi rolls her eyes. Emily picks up her notepad and pen. "What are you writing?"

Emily looks up and smirks. She really should be more inconspicuous with Naomi. The blonde is more observant than most of her patients…at the same time she also one of the most oblivious. Emily is beginning to be almost expectant of Naomi's constant contradictory traits. "Just a few random thoughts I don't want to forget." Naomi is filled with hope. Apparently her plan was in effect. She had given Emily nothing but useless information about herself and yet the redhead thought they held significance. Eventually, Emily would draw inaccurate conclusions from those useless pieces of information and Naomi wouldn't have to lie to get out of this mess. _When did I get so manipulative? _Naomi thinks. She tucks a few loose strands behind her ear and pushes the subject from her mind.

"Yeah? Like what?" Emily looks back down at her paper and looks over at her notes. From the spot where she had written down what Naomi had stated a few minutes earlier, Emily had drawn an arrow from the word want and written:

_Naomi wants to help people?_

This wasn't Emily's theory obviously. She would have to break down these two sentences before she could even begin to hypothesize. For the moment, the redhead was simply attempting to understand what it was Naomi wanted. Brown eyes fell upon the word "born". Her eyebrows furrowed and she drew an arrow from the word "born" and wrote:

_What was she born to do?_

The blonde was patiently waiting, watching Emily. She could tell that the redhead was deep in thought and when Emily's features showed a look of confusion, Naomi sensed that maybe a few cogs were turning. Looking a bit closer, the taller girl came to the conclusion that any cogs that were in Emily's mind were either turning incredibly slow, or not at all. Whatever it was that Emily was considering, had managed to stop the flow of thinking. Something had stumped her. Naomi secretly hoped that Emily would lose control of her voice for once and give the blonde some insight as to what was going on in that small but intuitive head. As all of this happened, Emily was completely unaware of Naomi observing her. The redhead felt the answer flash into her subconscious and right as it came, it went.

"Fuck." She mutters under her breath. This would happen often to Emily. Her brain would be thinking of so many things at once that it can't she can't keep up with herself. The most irritating part of this was that Emily would almost always feel whatever she was looking for coming to the surface of her mind, only to be whipped back unintentionally by a new thought. It was like having a word on the tip of your tongue only ten times worse. It was the answer that could solve whatever issue Naomi was facing. She gritted her teeth slightly and looked up into the blue orbs that stared at her in anticipation.

"So? What's wrong with me then?" Naomi questioned non-chalantly.

Emily wanted to scream in her face and tell her that she had no idea, but obviously that wouldn't be very productive toward their goal. Instead, she settled for a reply that was much calmer. "I can't tell you yet." Naomi didn't know that it wasn't because Emily was being secretive, but because she genuinely had no clue.

"Fair enough," Naomi nodded, "you tell me when you're ready."

"Doesn't work like that Naomi," Emily laughed, "I tell you when _you're _ready."

"You saying you could tell me now but you don't think I can handle it?"

_Im saying that because I have no fucking idea what the hell is going on. _"Yeah pretty much. I don't want you to be overwhelmed or anything. Baby steps you know?" Emily's voice had no hint of insecurity and this only peaked Naomi's curiosity. Blue eyes flashed down to the note pad and then back up at Emily. The blonde chews on the inside of her cheek and grins.

"Alright, what've you got so far?" She inclines her head toward the notepad. Emily's eyebrows raise and she looks down at her pathetic excuse for notes. Well, pathetic in Emily's standards.

"I don't know if we have time…" She trails off and begins to get up to check the timer. Naomi once again goes to look at her wrist to check the time, until she remembers she left her watch at home.

"We have time! The buzzer hasn't gone off." Naomi attempts to keep Emily sitting down but she was already up and walking towards her desk. The blonde sighs and shuffled onto her feet. Her eyes are met by alarmed brown ones. "What?" Emily sets the timer down and pulls out a drawer in her desk. "What?..." She pulls out her phone and shoves it into Naomi's hand. The blonde looks at it and then back at Emily. "You gonna tell me why you just handed me your phone?" The redhead sighs in exasperation.

"Check the time." Naomi's eye brows come together, but when she sees the time, they shoot apart and up high on her face. It was a good 50 minutes past their supposed one hour session.

"How come the-"

"I don't know!" Emily exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "I could have sworn I set it before you came in! I'm so sorry Naomi; I won't charge you for the extra time. And I'll-" Emily rambled on about giving her a few free sessions until Naomi stopped her. The redhead was practically out of breath, so it was a good thing Naomi had interrupted when she had.

"Emily…its fine. I don't mind paying for an extra hour. No need to get so…flustered." The redhead hung her head low.

"About that…" Naomi had started walking towards her satchel, but stopped abruptly when she caught the tone of guilt in Emily's voice. She recognized that tone of voice. She had heard it many times before. It was the tone people used when they knew they were going to upset you. Naomi slowly turns to face Emily.

"Yes?" Emily licks her lips and smiles shyly at Naomi. It's odd, that out of the few things she knows about Naomi, she knows that this is something that will cause conflict. She doesn't see why though. It's an act of kindness. "Chris called earlier and arranged to pay for the rest of your sessions." Emily prepared herself for Naomi's reaction. Not because she was scared or frightened, but because people show a lot more than they mean to when they're angry. An angry Naomi could show some answers. First the blonde's jaw dropped ever so slightly and her eyebrows had dropped back down and were practically blocking the view of her blue eyes.

"When?" Naomi choked out.

"This morning…" Emily waited for the explosion, but surprising both Emily and herself, Naomi didn't explode. She was much more surprised than angry and she was touched that Chris had planned to do this, but she wouldn't let it happen. Chris knew that Naomi didn't tolerate acts such as this.

"Can I-"

"Pay it yourself?" Emily finished for her. Naomi sighed loudly.

"Yeah. Im no gonna have Chris pay for my shit."

"I knew you would say that, so I told Grace to hold off on withdrawing the money before I ran it by you."

"Why do I feel like this wasn't how Chris wanted it to go?" Grinning, Emily shrugged.

"He knew that you were going to try to pay for the rest of the sessions, so he told me that when you went to pay, to tell you that someone was paying for you and that they wanted to remain anonymous." Both girls were smiling now.

"And what made you decide to not say that?"

"Well I figured you wouldn't have boasted about coming to see a counselor, so the only other person that probably knows about you coming here is Chris and possibly your family." Naomi's face remains completely unreadable and gives nothing away, but inside, she is flinching at Emily's unintentional low blow. "So you probably would have figured out who it was anyways." The blonde looked down at the carpet and nodded. This was the first uncomfortable silence they had ever had. Emily, having no idea what brought it on, remains silent.

"Well, I do want to pay for the rest of the sessions. So you can cancel Chris's request." Naomi isn't content with the thought of coming back. Both of her plans to end these sessions have failed. She wondered what would happen if maybe she just didn't show up. If she didn't show up for a session, there would be nothing to pay for, and eventually Emily would stop scheduling sessions all together.

"Right, so the money will be taken directly from your account starting in October." Emily mumbled the last part, hoping Naomi wouldn't catch it, but the blonde's eyes shot up.

"October? Why not now?" September had barely started and Naomi was confused as to why Emily couldn't start charging now. Now it was Emily's eyes that weren't on Naomi.

"Chris…_might have_…paid for the rest of this month in advance…" Naomi's jaw dropped.

"What?" Emily purses her lips, "Can't you give it back?" Naomi asks in desperation.

"Afraid not…" The blonde runs her fingers through her hair and shifts her weight from foot to foot. She was getting increasingly angry with Chris for two reasons. The first one being that he _knew _Naomi hated when he paid for her. He wasn't poor, but he didn't have much money to spare. So the fact that he was spending that small amount on her was infuriating. The second one being, now that he had paid for the rest of September, that meant Naomi would have to show up to the sessions. There was no getting away from them. Sure, she _could _just not show up. Chris couldn't exactly make her go, but her conscious wouldn't allow that. Knowing that Chris had spent money on her and then throwing it all to shit? Naomi couldn't do that.

"Okay," she sighs, "I'll start paying in October. But, don't let Chris pay any more of them. He barely has enough money as it is, and I'd rather he spend it on pills than me." They both smile.

* * *

><p>Naomi tells herself she'll get up in exactly one minute.<p>

A minute goes by and Naomi is still recklessly lying across her bed. For reasons unknown to her, she doesn't want to do anything but sleep. Not because she's tired, but because she's almost positive she had some sort of dream last night, but she can't remember. The blonde closes her eyes and searches the back of her mind for the dream, but comes up with nothing. She takes in a deep breath and throws herself off of the bed and onto her feet in one swift, graceful motion. She's still a little early to be heading to the café, so there's no rush. Deciding that she really is in need of a shower, Naomi grabs makes her way towards the bathroom, grabbing a towel on the way. She prefers extremely hot showers as opposed to warm ones, so the entire room is quickly consumed in steam. When the blonde is properly drenched, she reaches over and presses a button on the touch screen panel for shampoo, then conditioner and soap. She stays in the shower even after she's impossibly clean, letting the water fall on her for an extra 5 minutes. A part of her is scolding herself for wasting water, and being so abusive of the world's resources, but another part of her is pleading for 5 more minutes. She presses "off" to stop the shower, and grabs her towel to begin drying herself off.

Wrapping the towel around her body, Naomi makes her way to the kitchen and turns on the kettle. Walking back to her room, she remembers today is the first Wednesday of September.

"Kieran," She whispers to herself. Today was their monthly call. Naomi quickens her pace to get to her nightstand and look at her watch. He would call at 10:00, so she had plenty of time to get to the phone booth till then. Kieran always insisted that they never call from their personal phones in case if he were ever found, and in case _they _checked his phone records, _they _wouldn't be able to get Naomi's number and eventually her address. So Kieran devised a schedule of what day of each month they would call and at a different phone booth each time. Naomi had told him he was ridiculous, but deep down, she was always grateful for his over protective ways.

She gets dressed and puts on her watch. Walking into the kitchen, the kettle whistles. She pulls out the sugar and a thermos to take the tea with her. When the tea is made, she grabs her satchel, throws it over her shoulder and makes her way to the door. She makes sure to lock it and heads for the elevator.

They had 3 different phone booths that they spoke to each other on. Kieran always thought that if they went to the same one every time, it would cause suspicion. January, April, July, and October had one booth. February, May, August and November had another, and March, June, September and December had another. They talked once a month, because Kieran thought that too often would be dangerous. Naomi had suggested every two weeks, but Kieran wouldn't budge. No matter how often he wanted to check up on her, this was the only safe way. The blonde had understood that, but it still annoyed her that she always had to tell him a brief overview of her past _month_ instead of a description of her week or her day. The fact that her life was anything but normal always ate away a bit at Naomi. Usually on her walks to the phone booths, she would think of nothing but that. So by the time she reached the booth, she was much crankier than usual. Thankfully, September's phone booth was the one closest to her enormous flat. Within a few minutes of walking, Naomi was already there. In fact, Naomi hadn't really been thinking of anything. She had just been absent mindedly walking. She takes her thermos around and nothing splashes on the sides. She drank that absent mindedly as well.

"What the fuck," She mumbles to herself.

The phone booth is coming up. No one is in it, as usual. She opens the door and steps inside. She checks her watch. Two minutes until Kieran calls. Naomi fumbled around with her pants. She was wearing a suit because she and Liam had a presentation to do today. William never made them dress fancy except on these days, but it always ticked Naomi off that William made Liam do all the talking. He insisted that Naomi just sit there and look pretty. Liam always shot her apologetic glances, but she was never mad at Liam. He considered her as an equal when they worked on the presentation. It was his father that was a sexist bastard. Naomi takes another glance at her watch. She and Kieran had synchronized their watches years ago. He would always call at exactly 10:00. She counted down.

Ten…

Nine…

Eight…

Seven…

Six…

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

Silence.

Naomi furrows her brow. _What the fuck?_ Kieran is many things. But he is never late. Ever. Naomi picks up the phone to check the dial tone. _It's definitely working; _she thinks to herself, _Did he sleep in? No. Kieran's never late. To anything. Especially not this. _Naomi lists all the possible reasons why he could be late. She reaches the obvious one and her heart, as well as the phone she holds in her hand, drops. _They've found him. _Naomi's knees feel weak and she holds onto the sides of the booth to keep herself steady. _It's the only explanation to why he hasn't called. _Her mind is racing, and she struggles to control her thoughts. She squeezes her eyes shut, attempts to slow down her frantic brain. Then she remembers something Kieran had said in their August phone conversation.

"_Thinking of taking a break for a while." He said, exhaustion evident in his voice. _

"_Yeah? Like a vacation?" Wants to ask where but she knows better. _

"_Yep, yep. Like a vacation." _

"_Good. You need one." She says, "For how long?"_

_He shrugs but then remembers she can't see him. "Just don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a while." _

"_A while?" Naomi replies a little too quickly. _

"_Well I might miss the September call, but only by a day or two. Just don't go investigating if I don't call."_

"_Who says I'd investigate?" _

_Kieran remains silent, and Naomi takes a deep breath. "I won't. You know I know better than to be that foolish. _

"_Sometimes I wonder…"Kieran says this jokingly, and Naomi rolls her eyes and grins. _

"_Right well, I'll talk to you whenever it is you get back from where ever it is you're going." Kieran smirks at how well he's taught Naomi to never give location away over the phone. No matter how secure of a line it is. _

"_Stay safe Naomi." _

"_Stay safe Kieran." _

The blonde takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Nothing. She was making a big fuss over nothing. Kieran was fine. He had told her about this a month in advance. He was fine. He was probably earning some well-earned rest and relaxation. She had nothing to worry about.

Adjusting her suit jacket, she composes herself and puts the phone back where it belongs. She lets out another deep breath and walks back out to the London sidewalk. _He's fine. _She tells herself this one more time before she starts to make her way towards the café.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: LOOK AT ALL THESE REVIEWS. So many glorious reviews(': First off I want to say thank you so very much to everyone who has reviewed. They really do help me write the story, not because it boosts my self esteem, BUT BECAUSE it lets me know what the reader is seeing, and if I'm getting the right message across with every chapter. Because if I think you guys understand something...when you really dont, then you'll be confused when I try and move us along, you know? SO REVIEW WITH YOUR THOUGHTS. I got someone who told me that they find my chapter names interesting even if they dont completely understand them. Heres the thing: this story is going to be one that you'll have to read it more than once to really get it. Im not saying go re read every chapter right now, Im saying that when I post the last chapter and you guys are fully educated on every angle and piece of information of this story, you'll go back, read it and be like OH MY GOD NO WAY. Just saying. And my chapter names ALWAYS have meaning. Whether they're funny or obvious or even if you don't really get why it's called that YOU WILL. Soon enough. Anyways. Two days ago was Simone's birthday guys, and her party ended in _way _too many drunk people spending the night at my apartment. BUT SPOONING WITH SIMONE IS ALWAYS FUN. Dont tell her I said that. Review, yadda yadda, so I'll post the chapter sooner, yadda yadda. But its a long weekend for me, so you guys might get a review tomorrow or Monday :O Okay AUTHORS NOTE DONE. **


	8. Chapter 8:Not So Fine But Still As Noble

**Chapter 8: Not So Fine But Still As Noble**

* * *

><p>All the men and the women are seated at their designated chairs. They are anxiously waiting for the tall and lanky dark haired man to turn around and speak the news he has gathered them for. Some of them are frozen with anticipation while others are practically jumping out of their seats. All of them, however, hope to hear the same words. He stands with his back to all of them, his hands clasping each other behind him. He is at the head of the long metallic table looking at the gigantic framed portrait of his father that is hung at the end of the even longer meeting room. Smiling a closed mouthed smile to himself at how this is the beginning of the end, he takes a deep breath and turns around. Everyone in the room tenses, and braces themselves for the news.<p>

"Good morning everyone," David takes his seat at the head of the table.

"Good morning boss," Everyone says in unison. David nods, and holds out his hand. Almost immediately, a flustered looking woman places a mug in his hand. He doesn't even look at her, but she is used to his treatment and scurries away. A man is tapping his pen on the table, but is quickly silenced by David's stern look.

"Sorry boss…" He says apologetically. David surprisingly smiles again, which shocks everyone in the room. On any other day, that man would have lost his job, or maybe even his life. This news must be big to put David in such a good mood. A few of people fidget in their seats. David scans all the faces in the room. He leans forward, almost as if to whisper to them all.

"You all must be _dying _to know what I've assembled you here for." Every single head in the room nods. David leans back into the chair. "Well, all I have to say is that it's taken long enough, but we can finally put our plan into effect." He smirks proudly to himself. A few people in room look at each other, while others wait for David to elaborate. When he doesn't speak another word, a couple of them begin to murmur quietly. Finally, a voice from the other side of the room speaks aloud what they have all been thinking.

"Darling, why don't you tell them exactly which plan that would be," It is David's wife who had been keeping to herself on the same wall that the door was on. She had gone unnoticed except by the two guards standing by the door since they were right next to her. "I don't think they understand." She is a dark woman with a small frame and an angular face, and is much kinder than most of the people who reside in this building. At the same time, however, she has an air of authority to her. You feel comfortable around this woman, but you don't feel comfortable knowing that her husband has the power to end your life. Everyone turns back to look at David, who is looking up as if he is deciding whether or not to enlighten his confused crowd. Finally, he opens his mouth with his lips making a smacking sound in the process and stands up.

"I apologize if I haven't made things clear for you all. But you will soon see that I am so absolutely delighted with the events that have taken place that I can't seem to think straight!" Most of the people in the room are in awe at how happy David is. The amount of happiness wasn't too much by normal people's standards, but none of them have ever seen him be remotely ecstatic about anything. He was also _smiling_. Genuinely smiling_._ Not sneering. Not grimacing. Smiling. It was what they considered to be a once in a lifetime event so they were prepared to put whatever plan he was referring to, into full effect.

David waited a little longer to continue his explanation. He wanted to milk every last ounce of suspense that he could. When he decided that they were on the edge of their seats, he spoke. "The Campbell Extraction," It was two words, but the entire room gasped. He attempted to analyze every face, but there were too many of them, and too many emotions were being felt all at once. A plump white haired man that was seated directly to David's right spoke next.

"You've caught the girl?" He asks in awe. The room looks to David for an answer.

"No," David starts and receives many confused looks, "But we've caught her guardian." He smiles sinisterly. The room is engulfed in murmurs once again, and David waits for them to quiet down but they don't. He glances at an extremely built man that was standing to his left, who was well over 6 feet. The man nods and takes a few steps forward.

"SHUT UP." He roars, effectively silencing the entire room.

"Right," David begins, "We had a hunch the girl wasn't alone. For a few reasons. The first being that she was obviously too young to make it on her own. And when we did a body count, there was one missing. Aside from hers of course." The same white haired man to David's right speaks up again.

"And you've found him boss?" David nods and puts a hand on the man's shoulder.

"We already have him in the cell," He says proudly. This causes another round of murmurs but these do not go on as long as the previous ones. A woman from further down the table speaks.

"How long have we had him boss?"

"About a week." David states indifferently. More murmurs. This time, people begin asking questions at the same time.

"What's his name?"

"What are we going to do with him?"

"Where was he hiding?"

"Has he agreed to work with us?"

Finally a woman asks the question that will be answered.

"What does he know?" David points at her and throws her a thumbs up. He begins pacing around the room.

"That's the question isn't it? What _does_ he know?" David looks up at the ceiling. "I suppose he knows everything until the girl moved out. Well, he might know more than that too. But I wouldn't be surprised if he requested her to go without telling him where…fucking guardians." He shakes his head. Kieran's title wasn't "guardian"; David's father had made that name up. It fit. Kieran and the ones like him practically _were_ guardians.

"So what? Are we just going to ask him nicely to tell us where she is?" Another man from the left side of the table asks. David scoffs.

"Do you know who the fuck you're speaking to?" The man visibly shrinks. For a moment, David's good mood is gone. "Do you think I'm the type of person to _ask nicely_?" When the man doesn't respond, David shoves all of his belongings onto the floor. "Answer me!"

"N-n-n-no b-b-boss. Of course not. I just-"

"What! You just what?" David is yelling more than he himself is aware of. There is insanity in his eyes, and any sense of the collected David from two minutes ago is gone. In his place stands a mad man. David grabs the man by his suit jacket and their faces are practically touching.

"I-I don't know…"

"That's right, you don't know _shit." _He says clenching his teeth, "So why don't you shut you're fucking mouth and let me finish?" David's voice cracked at every other word. It was the telltale sign that he was losing control of himself. If anyone in the room wanted to maintain this calm David, they would have to act fast.

"Boss," The built man to David's left cautiously moved toward him, "boss…" David paid no attention. He was huffing and puffing, and his grip on the man was tightening. His eyes flashed to the mug near his spot at the table. It was the mug the woman had brought him. In one swift motion, he grabs the mug and chugs down its continents. Slamming the mug back down on the table, and letting out a satisfactory sigh, he roughly wipes his mouth with his thumb. All eyes are on David. "I'm fine. I'm _cool." _He drags out the last word and says it sarcastically. Smiling his sinister smile, he motions for the guards by the door to turn off the lights. They do so and seconds after they turn off, a projector comes to life. The first slide is completely white except for black wording that says "Progress". Everyone in the room knows better than to ask. David is obviously not in the mood for questions just yet, though they all have the same question. _Progress of what? _ David motions for the next slide. The flustered looking woman who brought him his mug clicks a button to change the slides. "Ah here we go." The slide is a picture of Kieran with the caption "Day One". He is dressed in his own clothes and if it weren't for his disheveled hair and a cut on his lip, he is practically unscathed. "This is her guardian," David begins, "I knew him long before we caught him and even before the incident." A man speaks up respectively.

"What is his name boss?" Eager eyes rest on David as he smirks and cocks his head toward the man.

"Kieran." The murmurs that follow could barely be considered murmurs. Loud whispering would be more appropriate. David however, allows it. The white haired man speaks.

"Kieran? _The _Kieran? The head guardian?" David simply nods. This time, none of them can control the volume of their voices. They seem to be shocked for similar reasons. Mostly because the fact that David's men managed to tame a guardian, and a head one at that, showed promise on their side. Maybe the Campbell's weren't as able as they put themselves out to be. Eventually, there were a few shushes and the talking died down. David took this as his cue.

"We found Kieran in Pembroke."

"Wales?" Asked a woman.

"Yes. We assumed he was on some sort of vacation with the girl, but when he was followed back to his car, we found out he was travelling alone." He sighs. "If it was me who had found him, I would have kept my distance and followed him until he returned home. But the one who found him wasn't one of our brightest."

"Tyler." They all say in unison. David's eyes widen in frustration and nods.

"Tyler indeed," He breathes out. "However, we still have him in custody and I suppose that's just as good as following him around for who knows how long." A number of them don't quite understand what he meant, so David continues. "After searching his car, we saw that he had been travelling like this for quite some time. I'd say well over two weeks. If we would have followed him, it might have been days or even weeks before he returned home." He continues pacing around the room. "I would have thought that to be a small price to pay for what we could have gained. Don't you all agree?" He looks up and many of the heads in the room are nodding in agreement. The white haired man speaks up again, this time carefully.

"How do you plan to get the information out of him boss?" David doesn't even look at him. He simply motions for the next slide. The flustered woman does so promptly. This slide says "Day Two" and has two pictures. One close up of Kieran's face and the other is a full body shot. Kieran has obviously been stripped of his own clothing and is wearing what would be called rags at best. It was a jumper-trouser combination and resembled prison attire. The color was extremely faded and worn out, but it was a shade of light blue and gray. In the pictures, Kieran seemed fine. There were no new wounds and he didn't look tired or hungry.

"On the first day I had asked Kieran to tell me the location of the girl. As you could imagine, I got nothing from him. So, I gave him the second day to think it over." The next slide appears. This one says "Day Three" and also has two pictures. In the full body shot, his clothes were dirtier than before and looked slightly more worn out. In the close up on his face, Kieran's has several cuts and there are visible bruises forming. He has a playful little smile on his lips. David's mouth twitches at the Irishman's arrogance.

"Like that," He says to his audience. It is clear to everyone in the room that David plans to get the information from Kieran through brute force. This room, being full of people whom do not think for themselves and believe aggression solves everything, beings to softly applaud David. Some are nodding in approval while others are commenting at how unbelievably "perfect" this plan is. Self-satisfaction displays on David's face and his hands come forward to the front side of his body for the first time in the whole meeting. His right hand subconsciously makes its way to his left forearm and grips it. This was done seemingly from a wave of pride that came over him. The applause dies down and the next few slides are shown in rapid succession; Kieran's physical state getting worse and worse in each one. His clothes becoming filthy, his cheekbones becoming more predominant from the lack of food. As some cuts heal, others are formed. There are red spots splattered on his jumper, some dry, some fresh. There is one thing that aggravates everyone in the room, especially David. Throughout the entire slide show, even though Kieran's body and even his face have been harshly beat, there is still that twinkle in his eye that has remained in every single picture. The Irishman has had the same amused smirk in each picture. It's not a forced smirk and everyone in the room can tell because it reaches his eyes. Those blue-green eyes that continue to twinkle. The slideshow ends and the lights come back on.

"Today is day eight I presume?" A man asks.

David nods. "I will probably gather you all again for the second week briefing," he pauses, "or sooner if dear Kieran graces us with any information." The meeting ends with everyone leaving much happier than when they came in. The only people that remain in the room are David and a woman on the left side of the table who hasn't moved from her seat. David gives her a questioning look and she rises. She has jet black hair and incredibly light eyes. She is slim, slender, and her build would remind many people of a cat. The woman is dressed formally with a sleek dark blazer and a matching knee-length skirt. As she approaches David, she counters his questioning look with an accusatory one.

"What do you think you're doing David?" It was hard to believe this was the same man who snapped at Tyler for using his real name instead of "boss", because David didn't even blink when this woman used his first name.

"Finishing what was started." His hands return to their previous position behind his back, "Is there a reason as to why you've suddenly started to ask questions that even Tyler knows the answer to?" The woman's face remains neutral and almost indifferent.

"I'm just wondering if you remember that promise you made almost 8 years ago." Her voice is smooth and is the equivalent what velvet is to skin, but to the ears.

"I make many promises," David glances briefly at the floor and then back at the woman, "and you expect me to recall one from _almost eight years ago._" The last few words are David's attempt at imitating the woman's euphonious voice.

"You should. I thought you had actually stuck to your word." She scowls at him. "Until now that is." The woman gives David a pointed look and he raises his eyebrows.

"Problem?"

"You promised your wife you would stop this ridiculous search for that girl. It was ruining us all."

"I never promised anything to any of you. It was simply my realization that she wouldn't be found anytime soon. I momentarily paused the search and focused on more productive things of my interest. My intention was always to return searching for her once the opportunity presented itself. That being said, it has. Beautifully may I add, and now the search and the plan are back on. In full effect." Instead of waiting for the woman's reply, David side steps around her and makes his way to the door.

"It's been eleven years David." She doesn't turn around whist speaking to him. "We don't know what she's capable of by now." The equally as dark haired man comes to a stop and now they both have their backs to each other.

"It wouldn't make a difference what she's capable of now. We are more than prepared for whatever it is we will face." David turns around closes the distance between them until the woman turns around as well. "There is absolutely no way that he could have warned her of his capture which gives us the upper hand and, once he gives us her location, the element of surprise." The woman shakes her head.

"This is reckless, rash, and unnecessary." She looks at him disgusted. "You're just going to destroy yourself, just like your father did." This time, it is she who side steps him and heads toward the door. Her footsteps fade away as she slips out of the room, leaving David to reminisce in his thoughts. The mentioning of his father bringing back painful childhood memories. However, it was not the actual memories that bothered him; it was the feeling of failure that came with them. That same feeling caused him to bear his teeth and clench his fists. David let his head drop as his eyes squeezed shut and his body began to shake ever so slightly. The shaking began to slowly increase and in a movement that seemed almost frantic, David dove for his mug and tipped it completely upside down, desperate for the liquid it contained. Upon realizing that it was empty, a growl escaped from David's clenched teeth. He then threw the mug and it shattered on the wall.

"Boss…" The giant man who was standing at David's left during the meeting appears at the door.

"Get that bloody Irishman to talk. _Soon_." The man nods.

"As soon as we know where the girl is-"

"I want you to get anything you can from him. The girl's location can wait. If he tells us anything we didn't know before, I want you to alert me immediately."

"Yes sir." The man turns to leave.

"Jonathon?"

"Yes sir?"

"Tell Renee to get me another mug." Jonathon's eyes flash to the spot on the floor where the pieces what used to be a mug, lay.

"Right away sir."

* * *

><p>"It's not working!"<p>

"It's got to be working Ty. Maybe you're holding it wrong."

"No! Look, see?"

"Well I don't know what the fuck you're doing wrong then."

"Me? You're the one-" Tyler and Adam stand over Kieran who is lying on a table, on his stomach without a shirt. The older man has both hands tucked under his chin as he waits for the younger boys to sort themselves out. They are supposed to be torturing Kieran again today, however, they have been given an electric branding iron and have no idea how to use it.

"Lads, can I make a suggestion?" Kieran turns his head around to meet the eyes of both Tyler and Adam. They exchange a look and turn back to the Irishman.

"Go ahead." Adam says this suspiciously and Kieran nods and turns around even further.

"See this knob here? That's what controls the heat. You just turn it to whatever temperature you want and give it a minute or two to warm up." Both boys raise their eyebrows and give a simultaneous:

"Ohhh…" Tyler turns the knob to the highest setting possible and Adam lays it down to heat up. Tyler puts Kieran's arms and legs into restraints. As he's fastening the last one, he speaks up.

"Thanks man! Much appreciated." Kieran shakes his head.

"No problem boy. I'm here to help." Once it's ready, Adam raises the branding iron and rapidly presses it onto Kieran's bare back. Both boys expect to hear a deafening scream from the older man, but instead, the only sound in the room is the sizzling of burning flesh, and an eerie relieved sigh from Kieran.

Adam lifts the branding iron and both boys look at the mark it has left. It is a perfect "O" and various layers of skin have been burned through. The area around the brand is a bright scarlet and the wound itself is a mixture of black and red. Adam and Tyler are almost positive that they see bone, but the sight of Kieran's new wound is too disgusting for their eyes to remain on it much longer. Both boys know that they must now ask Kieran a question, but neither of them can speak after what they have just bared witness to. This man didn't let out a single cry from the brand. His flesh had literally been burned to the bone and he didn't even so much as flinch. What was even more preposterous was that instead of fighting back or begging for mercy, Kieran had actually _helped_ the two clueless lads with the branding iron. It was like he was asking for the pain. Like none of this brought him any fear.

"What the fuck…" Tyler whispered.

"Tyler my boy," Kieran turns his head around a shakes his left arm, "This one's a bit loose. Would you mind tightening it?" Tyler turns to Adam flabbergasted, and Adam merely shrugs in response. Hesitantly, Tyler takes a step toward Kieran's left arm. He quickly refastens it and makes sure it was tighter. The boys had expected the Irishman to somehow break free in the few seconds that the restraint was completely unfastened, but to their surprise, Kieran remained perfectly still. "Ah, much better. Carry on then lads." Adam clears his throat.

"Where's the girl?" His attempt at making his voice harsh fails miserably. Both Tyler and Kieran could hear his voice trembling. The older man takes a second to reply, and the two boys actually think he is finally going to reveal the answer.

"A little to the left this time please Adam. You'll get more flesh if you don't go exactly on the center." When their bodies deflate from disappointment, Adam lifts the branding iron, and once again presses it onto Kieran's back. This time, just to the left of the last brand.

* * *

><p>She sits in her designated booth at the café, oblivious to the events occurring in a not so far away land. Denise has taken her order for some tea and she patiently waits for Chris to arrive. She doesn't wait very long before he strolls in.<p>

"Ayyy! There she is!" Chris points at Naomi and shoots her a grin she can't help but half-heartedly return. "Actually on time today? I guess we got the ol' Naoms back yeah?" Chris flies into his seat and a few people turned to stare at the two of them, looking for the cause of all the noise. Naomi is still giggling when she gives a group of them a challenging look.

"Care to take a picture? I promise it'll last longer." Chris laughs and looks back and forth between Naomi and the people examining them. Before either of them can say anything more, Denise appears, somewhat chuckling.

"Down Naoms, down." She tries to hide her smile and turns to Naomi's victims. "Sorry about her, she's shit in the mornings without her garibaldis." Chris' head snaps back in laughter and with him clapping, he reminds Naomi of a seal. She kicks him under the table.

"Ow! Someone get this woman food before I lose a leg- fuck!" He picks his leg up and tucks it close to his body. Rubbing it, he turns to Naomi. "Twice?" Naomi sits back in her chair.

"You both make it seem like I said something offensive. I wasn't even serious!" Denise places Naomi's tea down on the table and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Neither was I sweetheart, but they still look at you two like you punched a baby." Chris chortles at Denise's choice of words and nods.

"Yeah Naoms, we were just pulling ya leg. And just between you and me, I'd much rather keep mine. So if ya don't mind, would you stop it with the kicking?" Naomi rolls her eyes and nods.

"Fine, but just so you know. I don't _need_ garibaldis to be in a good mood." Denise pats Naomi's shoulder.

"Sweetheart, of course not." Denise's hand slides off of Naomi's shoulder as she begins to back away from Chris' and Naomi's booth. "Who says you're ever in a good mood at all?" Naomi's eyes widen and she is trying to fake being dumbfounded but her laughter gives her away.

"Denise one! Naoms zero!" Chris exclaims, attracting yet again more disapproving looks. Ilan appears from the other side of the café and gives Denise a warning look. The woman understands it and turns to the two sitting at the booth. The closest thing she has to children. Denise points at Naomi.

"You, hold your tongue." She turns to Chris. "You, I better not lose customers because there's not a volume button on you." The boisterous lad holds his hands up.

"I'll be good." He assures her.

"Good. Naoms darling, you having the same as yesterday?" Naomi shakes her head.

"Eggs and toast today please, Denise." The woman nods and turns to Chris. He scratches his head as he tries to think of what to order.

"Eh, I dunno. Just surprise me?"

"No problem Chrissy." Denise nods and disappears into the kitchen. Chris turns to face Naomi and examines her attire for the day.

"So, I'm guessing you got another one of those presentations to do today?"

"Unfortunately." Naomi sighs.

"The people still as posh as last time?"

"I think they might be even _more_ posh than last time…" She makes an overly exaggerated expression full of fear and Chris returns it with an equally as exaggerated face.

"Yikes. Are they at least gonna let you talk this time?" The blonde shakes her head.

"Doubt it. William really wants Liam to get used to speaking in front of big audiences." Chris rolls his eyes.

"Well I think that William guy needs a fucking wake up call. You don't even get all nervous when you talk in front of people, so you should be the one doing it. Wanker." Chris shakes his head and Naomi smiles appreciatively.

"Yeah but it's kind of nice. I just show up, shake a few hands and smile. Then before I know it, it's done." She shrugs and Chris swipes her tea away and takes a large gulp. "Sure Chris you can have some tea, no problem. _Really._" He grins at Naomi and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Yeah ya love me." She rolls her eyes and hands him a napkin. "Alright so you gonna go see Emily again today?" Naomi goes to reply but then stops and gives him a sharp look. "What?" She kicks him under the table again. "Ow! The fuck was that for?" Once again, Chris picks up his leg and tries to allievate the pain by rubbing it. "Same fucking spot too…" He grumbles.

"Good. That's what you get for keeping shit from me." Chris gives her bewildered look and slowly puts his leg down.

"What?"

"Emily told me that you paid for the next month you shady tosser!" A few people attempt to inconspicuously glance at them and thankfully, Naomi and Chris don't take notice.

"I'm just trying to help Naoms…" A once extremely loud Chris was now sheepish and timid.

"By going bankrupt? Chris, let me handle my shit okay?" With his eyebrows forming a straight line, his lips curled down, and his sudden somber expression, Chris looks positively heartbroken. The blonde visibly softens at his sudden change in demeanor, but insists on making her point. Her features also shift into a kinder cast. "Chris I didn't mean it like that…" He looks up at her through his eyelashes. Naomi purses her lips as she searches for the right words. "It feels like you're sort of…I don't know…_babying _me?"

"I just wanted to make sure you get better Naoms-"

"There's nothing wrong with me Chris…"

"You gonna let me fucking talk?" The blonde raises her eyebrows at her best friend who although playfully pokes fun at her, has never used rude language with the intent of offending her. To Naomi, he was just mad that she wasn't let him finish his sentences. In reality however, Christopher Miles was getting tired of keeping schtum on the subject of his feelings toward Naomi's evasive ways.

"Yeah…sure go ahead." She mumbles. The now turned serious boy takes a moment to recollect himself. When he looks back up at Naomi, his face is friendlier. Worried still, but friendlier.

"I just…" It is evident that Chris is searching for words to explain something he himself cannot grasp. After a solid minute of an awkward silence –something that was relatively new thing to their friendship – Chris gave up. He didn't have the vocabulary to explain the situation, and even if he did possess such words, his understanding was still minimal. Making a ridiculous face that caused Naomi's grim expression falter into a crooked smile, Chris sighed. "Fuck it." The two of them did this often, dropping topics without real cause. Naomi had been waiting for when Chris would finally drop it. "So are you?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you going back today?" Naomi shakes her head and her loose blonde curls sway from side to side.

"Emily said two sessions in a row was kind of much, so today I don't have to go. Thank _god." _Chris is about to ask what she means when Denise shows up with their food.

"That was fast," comments Chris. Wiping nonexistent sweat from her forehead, Denise sighs.

"Ilan wants the two of you out as quickly as possible." Denise said jokingly. Chris had already begun scarfing down his food as she spoke, and he looked up at her with a mouth practically overflowing with pancakes, eggs, and sausage. Denise holds back her laughter for the sake of her job. "Oh god Chrissy, you're making it _real _hard to be professional right now." Chris peeks at Ilan from behind Denise, and sees him with his arms folded and his eyes on the three of them. Casting another quick glance at the people who kept openly looking at them, Chris set his fork back down on the table.

"This sea foods really good…" Chris pointed enthusiastically at his plate. Denise made a face and so did Naomi, but the blonde's was out of realization.

"Chris that's not-" Denise began to clarify but Naomi cut her off.

"No! He knows it's not D," she gives Chris a pointed look, "don't you dare." He grins at how well Naomi knows him.

"Fun sponge."

"Are one of you going to tell me what he was gonna do?" Denise looks in between the two of them, waiting for an answer. As she did this, both Naomi and Chris were discretely filling their mouths with food. Chris spoke first.

"See…"

"Food!"

As they had done so many times in their youth, the blonde and her bronze haired companion stuck out their tongues, both of which were carrying at least two spoon fulls of half-chewed food. Ilan and many of the staff groan at their old antics, and Denise is about to drop dead from embarrassment.

"There are people watching!" She fusses as Naomi and Chris snicker at everyone's reactions.

"Denise!" Ilan hisses from the kitchen.

"I'm working on it!" The dark haired woman gives both Chris and Naomi a stern look, and laughs escape their mouths.

"D!" exclaimed Chris, "You shoulda seen your face! Priceless!" Naomi softly hushes him as she turns to Denise as the woman shakes her head.

"I tried to stop him!" Denise doesn't seem amused. "Come on, you basically set us right up for that one." Chris nods in agreement as he practically swallows a sausage whole. However, the look in Denise's eye isn't out of disapproval, it is one of nostalgia.

"I remember when you two first started coming here," she muses, "you were so tiny Chris." She pinches his cheeks as he rolls his eyes. "It was cute back _then_ when you did it. Now, not so much."  
>When the three of them hear Ilan clear his throat, Denise straightens up and scolds the two of them on how they should act their age and be respectable adults. The wink that she gave them afterwards however, let Naomi and Chris know it was just a show to put on in front of the judgmental customers and Ilan. Catching this signal, the bronze haired lad and the blonde both nod their heads in fake understanding.<p>

"Right, you got it D." says Chris, "We'll act _civilized _and shit." Naomi chews on her bottom lip, fighting back a smile and Denise whispers a 'thank you' and then is on her way. She leaves the two of them to fall back into easy conversation. All topics including Emily, or anything of that nature, are soon forgotten. "You don't have to see Emily today, so you wanna stop by and see the kids? They've been asking about you for like weeks or something." Chris has finished his food and is now sipping some tea Denise had brought him. The children he is referring to are part of his job at the Children's Hospital. For reasons unknown to most people, but very much known to Naomi, Chris works as an entertainer for terminally ill children. It would only be appropriate that someone as goofy, but at the same time as sensitive as Chris would have that sort of job. The passion for it comes from Chris' deceased brother. It may not be a topic that he openly shares, but he has indeed told Naomi about it. One of the things that hurts Chris the most about his friendship with Naomi, is the fact that he has confided in her with the most painful piece of information he can possibly share, and yet she has not done the same. He may not have said this to the blonde's face, but inside, Chris hopes that Emily will serve her purpose. When Naomi responds, she looks delighted upon Chris' idea.

"I saw them three days ago Chris, but yeah I'll sounds nice."

"Fucking ace!" The bronze haired young man slams his hand on the table. "It's settled then, after you get you're presentation and shit done, you meet me in the little play area yeah?" Naomi nods and swallows the last of her tea.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there." They leave Denise some money and barely make it out before she tries to shove it back into their pockets. Once they are at the entrance for the tube, they say their goodbyes and Chris makes his way to the hospital.

* * *

><p>"Hold still!"<p>

"It's on too tight…"

"That's why I'm trying to loosen it you wanker, but you keep moving."

Naomi and Liam stand in their office as they wait for William to call them in. They're all ready to go; however, Liam's tie is failing to cooperate.

"Ugh! Just forget the tie!" Liam has had enough and is starting to pull the tie loose when Naomi stops him.

"No, you know how you dad gets when you're not wearing black socks. I can't even imagine what the fuck he'll do if you're not wearing a tie." Liam sighs in acknowledgement.

"Fine." The blonde resumes her attempts to fasten the tie properly. "I swear, you take this 'Doing good for others' thing way too far sometimes." Naomi continues to fiddle with the tie, but makes a disgusted face.

"Isn't that that stupid motto you're dad made?" Liam laughs.

"Yeah, you should know. You're like, the epitome of that." Naomi says nothing, and simply pats Liam's chest in the final touches.

"There, done!" She has managed to successfully tie Liam's tie in a respectable knot. He looks down and inspects it, then nods in approval.

"Sweet." Liam breathes out in relief. The two of them turn around when there is a knock at the door.

"It's open!" Naomi calls. The knob turns and at the doorway is the eyelash batting queen herself, Simone. "This ought to be good…" Naomi whispers to herself with a smile forming on her lips.

"Hey! Mr. Newlands is already in the presentation room so he told me to call you guys in." Simone has already made her way into their office and is trying to be subtle at her attempts to rape Liam with her eyes. He clears his throat.

"Of course he did…um…yeah lets go Naomi." The blonde has been trying to hold in her laughter and merely nods. Naomi knows that one look at either Liam or Simone would cause her to break the well-formed lid on her laughter.

"Yeah," she says in between giggles, "sure. Thanks Simone." As Liam and Naomi make their way to the presentation room, they sense someone following them. Sure enough, when Liam turns around, Simone is right behind them.

"Do you…need something Simone?" She shakes her head.

"You left your folder and your laser pointer on your desk." All three of them come to a halt, and Liam slaps his forehead. In the rush to be out of Simone's sight, Liam had forgotten to take his supplies. Simone smiles and meekly hands him the folder with the laser pointer resting on top. Surprisingly, instead of avoiding eye contact with the intimidating brunette, Liam actually met her gaze and smiled back appreciatively. Naomi keenly watched this happen and could immediately tell that this would not be the last exchange that Liam and Simone would hold. Although the blonde was growing increasingly amused by the blossoming relationship, there was a meeting to be held and a presentation to give. There was also an awkward silence that she felt she needed to end.

"Come on Liam, you're dads probably biting his nails to the nub by now." Naomi turned around and began walking away before Liam could reply. Simone gave him a simple wave, which he returned and then caught up with Naomi.

The most interesting thing about this two minute conversation was that anyone looking at the three of them for the first time, would never know of the American boy's infatuation with the blonde. Liam had not made the smallest of glances at Naomi in that quick exchange, and it is clear that his longing gazes at Naomi will shift their focus onto a certain brunette. All of this of course, was perfectly fine with Naomi and she was comforted at the thought of those gazes ending. To her, they felt absolutely incestuous.

When they arrive at the presentation room, Liam turns to Naomi and is visibly nervous. His forehead is starting to form a layer of sweat and his breathing was obviously uneven and forced.

"Is everything looking good?" Liam's voice shakes tremendously as he asks this. Naomi looks at his tie, then down to his pants and finally his shoes. She takes a quick look at his ashy brown hair that is usually styled into a seemingly charming faux-hawk, but today is somewhat tousled back into a semi-formal, but not too formal, hair style. Nodding in a manner that indicates "so-so" Naomi tightens his tie just a tiny bit more.

"Yeah, all set." As Liam exhales so deeply that his cheeks pop out, Naomi readies herself for the usual embarrassment she endures in these presentations. Her American business partner is a terrible public speaker, and even worse while his father's eyes are boring into his very soul.  
>If it weren't for Mr. William Newlands requests that Naomi does not speak, she would give into the urge to help Liam every time he goes up and makes a fool of himself. However, she rather likes her job –even with the constant sexual harassment– and if holding her tongue while a young man learns to speak in front of people means she can keep it, then so be it.<p>

"Alright. Let's go Campbell." Liam reaches for the door knob, but Naomi shoots her hand out and grabs it first. Liam, who spends enough hours of the day to somewhat understand the blonde's oddly overly polite ways, allows her to open the door for him. They step inside and are greeted to a room of posh looking suited old men and woman. When their presence is made known but a loud hushing, William speaks.

"Ah! There they are!"

* * *

><p>The hospital was a sort of spectacle to look at. It was separated into two main parts; each of those parts was separated by the street. On one side of the street, there was the general hospital itself. Nothing special, it was a somewhat modern building but one would drive past it and think nothing of it, until of course they saw it's other half. About three stories up, there was breezeway connecting the general hospital to its adjacent Children's Hospital. Any one walking in the breezeway would be walking directly over London traffic.<p>

The Children's Hospital was what caught your eye. It was a very modern building with a futuristic circular design that grabbed one's attention. The colors made its appearance even more appealing, and were appropriate for a building designed for children patients. Each room was distinguished from the outside by its colored window. The bottom row of windows was light blue, the second row was yellow, then green, then orange, then a darker blue, then red, and finally purple. The design would probably make a child's stay more bearable.

As Naomi approaches the Children's Hospital, the colorful sign and the equally as colorful entrance welcome her as they have done so many times before. A few nurses who recognize her as Chris' friend wave to her as she makes her way to the elevator and a particular nurse who is pushing a child in a wheelchair causes the blonde to squeeze her arm. For some reason, a twinge of a feeling that was close to urgency bubbled up inside Naomi. The elevator dings and the doors open wide to let her in. She steps inside and thankfully it's empty. Waiting in awkward silence with complete strangers was one of the things Naomi hated the most. She is taken up to the fourth floor where Chris is practically king.

"Ayyy! Naoms!" She has just stepped out of the elevator before Chris' voice echoes across the entire floor.

"Naomi!" About 10 weak looking children dashed over to the blonde, softly yelling her name and many of them wrap their arms around her knees. Chris saunters over to her and Naomi grins at his outfit. Although Chris dresses uniquely in his own everyday outfits, his work clothes are nothing short of ridiculous. He is Chris the Clown after all. With his polka dotted tie, neon overalls, trousers that were red on one leg and blue on the other, a long-sleeved shirt with patches that were different patterns, a painted on mustache and even clown shoes, Chris the Clown was the one thing these children could count on for a laugh.

"You know I don't think I'll ever get over you looking like this?" Naomi says while patting various children's heads.

"Well I hope not. These kids got a shorter attention span than _you_," Chris up a pair of twins and casually throws them over his shoulder, "so if you start to get bored of it; I think they'll have been well past bored!" The blonde looks down at the children who are still clinging to her when she sees a very familiar little face.

"Ava?" Small green eyes meet blue ones. "Ava!" Naomi picks the small girl up and spins her around. Upon seeing Naomi's reacting to little Ava, Chris herds the rest of the children to the play area.

"Naomi! You haven't been here in forever!" Even though Naomi would never admit it out loud; Ava, a four year old patient at the hospital, was the blonde's favorite. Naomi laughs and keeps Ava in her arms.

"Three days Ava, three days. But apparently that's enough for your recovery to be over?" The little girl nods vigorously.

"Yeah! The doctors said I only need a little bit of that..uhm…physi…physical…"

"Physical therapy?" Naomi offers.

"Yeah! They said my bone narrow is better than most peoples!" The blonde laughs and sets Ava down gently and adjusts the little girl's pink hospital gown.

"Bone _marrow, _Ava."

Ava's bone marrow transplant had taken place weeks ago, but she wasn't allowed to be exposed for fear of infection, which is at high risk after transplants. Her recovery process had taken much more than three days, but on the day she was granted permission to roam free among other children in the hospital, Naomi was absent.

"Whatever it's called, it still hurt." Ava grumbles.

Naomi smiles widely and takes Ava's hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here after you got out Ava, but just tell me what I missed?" The two of them sit on the floor at a Lego station where they start to build a house for one of Ava's Barbies. As they do this, the green eyed little girl fills Naomi in on the past three days. The blonde listens as the Lego house climbs higher and higher.

"…and Miss Katie is really nice. I like her." Ava says as she rummages through the hundreds of Legos for _just _the right piece. Naomi's face displays her confusion but her eyes remain on the house.

"Miss Katie?" Ava nods.

"Mhmmm. She's really nice to all the babies and little kids. Even the ones that cry all the time." She continues looking for a specific piece. "But I think she wants to keep us or take us home. She always acts like she thinks she's our mum or something." The blonde shakes her head at Ava's bluntness.

"That's called being maternal. She probably has kids and you remind her of them."

"Ma…tern…al. Like that?" Ava has attempted to spell out 'maternal' with blocks that have letters printed on them. However, she spelt it wrong.

"No, it's not M-U-T," Naomi reaches over and corrects her, "its M-A-T." Nodding, Ava attempts to store the information in her small brain permanently. This time it is Ava shakes her head. "I don't think so." The blonde drops a Lego and stretches across the floor to reach it.

"That's how you spell it, trust me."

"No, not that."

"What? You don't think you remind her of her children?" Ava shakes her head again.

"No, I just don't think she has any." When Naomi remains quiet and looks at the green eyed girl doubtfully, she continues. "Miss Katie can't have kids." This innocent conversation with a four year old has taken a turn for the more serious.

"Who said that?"

"Jonah." Naomi nods her head but she urged Ava to continue with a single look in her eyes.  
>Jonah, was Ava's older brother and her bone marrow donator. He was the only match the doctors could find, but it wouldn't have mattered if there was another match. Jonah had volunteered to donate the second he found out he <em>was<em> a match.

"And where did Jonah hear this from?"

"Chris." Ava says smoothly. Rolling her eyes, Naomi makes a note to find Chris and give him a lesson on things that Ava and even Jonah are still too young to know about. A thought occurs to the blonde just then.

"How come I've never met 'Miss Katie' and you and Jonah _and _Chris have?" Naomi questions as she stops building, it seemed a bit odd for any of them to know someone she didn't. For starters, Chris told Naomi everything. Even if it was small, he still told her. So it came across a bit hard to believe that there was some woman whom Naomi _thought _she had never met and knew Chris. Second, even if Jonah comes regularly to see his sister, Naomi comes just as regularly to see Chris _and _Ava. Lastly, even if Ava had just mentioned Miss Katie for the first time, Naomi has been in and out of the hospital in the past couple weeks of Ava's recovery. Surely she's had to have at least seen this woman. "You've been locked inside your room for weeks." The once ill child's eyes widen at Naomi's statement.

"_Weeks_? Was I really out for weeks?" Naomi thinks for a second and then nods. Ava huffs and crosses her arms. Seeing this, the blonde smirks.

"What? Did you think it was shorter than that?"

"No. I could have sworn I was in there for months." Naomi doesn't have time to ask Ava again, when Jonah stumbles over with a slight limp. Instead of making a remark on his inability to keep his mouth shut on issues that his sister should not be exposed to just yet, Naomi feels her own maternal-like instincts kick in and she gently sets a hand on Jonah's back.

"And how are you feeling?" Jonah rubs his hip bone and makes discomforted face. The blonde deduces that they must have extracted the bone marrow from his hip –more specifically his lilac crest- and she gingerly tucks him into a firm hug. However, it was short lived. Before Jonah could return the hug and wrap his arms around Naomi, reality set in and she quickly dropped her hands. "So," she said looking at Jonah, "what's this about a Miss Katie?" The boy looks at his sister and back at Naomi and shrugs.

"What about her?" He groans out of pain as he eases himself down onto the floor and starts to build his own tower. Naomi glances at Ava and then ducks her head and pulls Jonah down lower. She immediately regrets it, as he winces.

"Sorry!" Naomi whispers. "But I'd slap you upside the head if you weren't in recovery!" Jonah pulls free from the blonde's grasp and rubs his shoulder.

"Yeah? Well I'd hit you back if I wasn't in recovery and if you didn't have a fanny!" She eyes him doubtfully.

"You don't even know why I said that do you?"

"No." He admits confidently. "But it doesn't matter. I'd still hit you back." Just then, as a roar laughter hits her ear drum, and Naomi starts to look around the massive room and spots the owner of the familiar laugh. Chris is with a purple haired woman and they are both grinning widely at whatever their conversation with the children holds.

"Naomi!" Ava exclaims from the other side of the table, "There! That's Miss Katie!" To her surprise Naomi did recognize this face, but not from the hospital. Across the room, kneeling on the floor, playing some kind of game with the children and Chris, is none other than Katie Fitch. "You should go meet her Naomi. She's kinda mean to people like you." The blonde is getting up off the floor, when she turns around at the last part of Ava's comment.

"People like me?" She asks raising her eyebrows.

"Like…as old as her?...Well no actually she's nice to Chris…I guess she's not nice to people who aren't little and aren't boys as old as her." Children and attractive men are whom Katie Fitch warms up to right of the bat, is what Ava is trying to say. Naomi dismisses this and tells Jonah to make sure to watch his sister. She intends on asking Katie why in the world she's here, and ask Chris how the fuck he met _Katie. _Before she is close enough so she doesn't have to yell, another voice proclaims the attention of her ears.

"Didn't know you were so good with kids." That husky voice could only belong to one person. Sure enough, when Naomi slowly turns around, there is a smirk holding redhead waiting for her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well hey. I want you all to give very special thank yous to "FrenchJuliett" and "Kajskk" because them reviewing, was what drove me to crank this chapter out for you guys. Yes, it took like two weeks but I TAKE MY FUCKING TIME. I'd rather take a month and give a decent chapter than two days and give a shit chapter. Anyways, being the responsible fanfiction author that I am, I WILL PROVIDE YOU A DEFINITION FOR A BREEZEWAY: When there is like a tube-like thing that connects two buildings, thats a breezeway. . Anyways, on friday Im seeing MY FAVORITE BAND EVER. BLINK 182. LIVE. IN SUNSET. (sunset is a place) SO OBVIOUSLY I'LL BE DEAD AND UPDATE MY STORIES FROM HELL. So see you guys in hell? Yeah? I'll meet you by the pool. REVIEW PLEASE. It helps me write the chapters more efficiently.**

**P.S: I post alot of stuff about this story on twitter as well as things about my amazing life. Like I just posted pictures of the Children's hospital (the one in real life) on twitter. So following me, you get little extras SO feel free to follow me if you want little inside scoops about the story: Wildabraappears. Yes I do love pokemon. **


	9. Chapter 9: The First Rope Is Tied

**Chapter 9: The First Rope Is Tied**

It only took seconds for the blonde to have made the connection between the voice and its owner. Having completely turned around, Naomi offered Emily a small smile. The redhead had her arms crossed, much like the day they first met, and glances at something behind Naomi.

"Naomi who's that?" Ava comes up behind her with those green eyes locked on Emily and grabs a fist full of Naomi's trousers.

"_This," _she corrects while trying to loosen Ava's grip, "is Emily. She's my..." Naomi's sentence fades and it is clear to Emily that Naomi doesn't want to say the word that would explain the relationship between the two of them. Using the word _Counselor _would require much explanation to the four year old girl, and there is no guarantee that Ava will understand at the end of the explanation. All of that, Naomi thinks, would require too much effort and also holds certain risks.

The little girl is looking up at Naomi and she furrows her eyebrows.

"Friend." Emily finishes for her. Green and blue eyes shoot to the redhead and the green eyes seem satisfied that they finally have an answer. The blue eyes however, weren't quite as contempt. Naomi looks down at the ground but then forces a smile when she sees Ava looking up at her.

"Friend?" She whispers as her emerald eyes flash to Emily then Naomi and back to Emily. "Naomi doesn't have many friends." Naomi visibly shrinks. She wants to snap at Ava but quickly remembers that she hasn't developed the ability to understand how honest a person should be. She gives the redhead a look that was intended to be apologetic. The look however, went barely acknowledged by Emily, as she squats down to Ava's level and places her elbows on her knees.

The need to relieve the tension from their conversation and make Naomi more comfortable had taken over Emily. Even if they weren't in her office, or in a session, Emily didn't like it when people were uncomfortable.

"Hi," Emily said looking eagerly at the small girl. "What's your name?" Ava let go of Naomi and closed the distance between Emily and herself, then sticks her hand out.

"Ava DeLonge. It's a pleasure to meet you." Emily chuckles and glances at Naomi before taking the small hand in hers and shaking it.

"Pleasure is all mine Ava."

Looking squarely at the redhead, and practically squinting, Ava scrutinizes Emily from head to toe. She then turns her head around and her right hand cups her mouth in an attempt to inconspicuously cover it.

"I like her hair!" She whispers to Naomi who in return, motions for Ava to tell Emily herself. Nodding her head, and mouthing "_Okay" _to the blonde, Ava turns around to see an increasingly amused Emily fighting back a smile. "…I like your hair Miss Emily."

"Miss?" Emily says and once again looks up at Naomi. Her eyebrows raise and her lips tuck downward in an impressed manner. "How polite." Ava straightens up once Emily's complement gives her the confidence to go on.

"Thank you Miss Emily!" The small girl articulates as best she can. When Emily smiles at Ava, there is a pause as something clicks in her mind. "Miss Emily…" The redhead purses her lips and she tries not to grin at Ava's courteous ways. "You look an awful lot like Miss Katie…do you know her?" Although Naomi fails to keep a straight face, Emily somehow manages to hold hers in place and answer Ava's question.

"I do," she nods.

"Really?" Ava gasps, but then makes a disturbed face. "I don't think I'd like it if I had a friend who looked so much like me…" Ava states as she brings her own hands to touch her face.

"Actually Ava, Katie is my sister." Emily clarifies.

Ava's eyes grow wide. "You're twins!" Emily peeks up at Naomi.

"Was that a question?" The redhead asks unsurely and receives a shaking of the head in reply from the blonde.

"No!" Ava exclaims and blocks Emily's line of vision with her head. Her small face is inches from Emily's as she re-analyzes Emily's face. "Wow…" she whispers, "you really _are _twins. You got the same face and everything…" Ava giggles, then skips back to Naomi's side and Emily rises again. Before any of the girls can speak, they are interrupted by an infamous greeting.

"Ayyyy!" Chris strolls over with his arms, eyes, and his grin wide as ever. The squeaking sound of his ridiculous shoes were accompanied by the equally as noisy heels of Katie Fitch. "What the fucks happenin' over here?" When Naomi and Emily freeze, Chris drops his hands and furrows his brow. "What?" Ava steps out from behind Naomi and crosses her arms. Still not understanding, Chris looks to Katie for an explanation.

"Watch your fucking language!" The purple haired twin exclaims. "There are little ears present?" She motions to Ava and slaps Chris upside the head.

Naomi leans over to Emily.

"Is she serious?" She whispers.

" 'Fraid so…" Emily whispers back.

Suddenly, when he realizes his previous word choice, Chris' head goes back and his mouth makes an "o".

"Ahhh, now I got it." He lunges himself toward the little girl and swoops her up above his head. "Alright Av, how much for you to forget I ever said anything?" Ava says nothing, but shuts her eyes and her hands attempt to cover her mouth. He holds her there for a few more seconds but is once again at a loss as to what is happening. Ava's face turns to the color of her eyes.

"Chris!" Katie hisses, "Put her down!" He promptly does so as gently as he can.

"Shit, Ava you okay?" Chris asks.

"You said…" Ava's mouth puffs up and her hands fly up to her mouth once again. "Another naughty word…" One hand shoots back down to grip her stomach.

"Nausea." Naomi says as she kneels down next to Chris. "She's not ready to be playing like that yet Chris." He looks at her bewildered.

"Well look at Doctor Campbell over here?" Naomi barely acknowledges him as her eyes remain on the little girl that is about to blow. "Sorry, I didn't know. I-" He puts his hands on Ava's shoulders. "What can I do Av?" The little girl shakes her head and points at Katie. Chris turns and inclines his head toward Ava. "I think she wants you?" Ava nods. Katie steps forward and roughly pushes Chris aside. Upon seeing Katie's urgency to help the child, Naomi decides to give them some room and gets up to stand next to Emily.

"Ava sweetheart, I need you to take deep breaths. Can you do that for me?" Her green eyes open for the first time and Katie smiles encouragingly. Naomi's eyebrows raise enough that Emily notices.

"Miss Katie…" Ava's hands haven't moved from her mouth, thus making her voice muffled. Her eyes flash down to her hands and Katie understands that she is afraid to remove them.

"Just move your hands so you can breathe in and out your nose." Katie says softly. Ava does as she is told and Naomi shifts from foot to foot. Emily once again glances at the blonde, and then returns her focus to her sister and Ava who is taking deep breaths. "Good, Ava. That's real good. Now…" Katie looks up at the two sets of eyes that wait for her. "Chris?" She turns her head again and she finds him. He's still sprawled out on the floor, but quickly gets to his feet, ready to receive orders from her.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to walk Ava to her doctor. It might be nothing but just to be sure…" Naomi is still eyeing Katie somewhat astonished. The events taking place have reshaped the image that the blonde once had of the fiercer twin, or should she say the not-so-much-fiercer twin. There was now a new found depth to the purple haired woman that Naomi had been oblivious to when they had first met. She feels a bit guilty for thinking so little of Katie, and mentally slaps herself for being so judgmental.

Emily watched Naomi's entire thought process come and go. The blue eyes had been conflicted which had given the blonde away. She might not have mind reading powers like Effy sometimes does, but one thing Emily knows for sure is how taken back Naomi is with this other side of Katie. Emily had seen as slowly, in Naomi's eyes, her sister has gone from one dimensional and almost plastic, to three dimensional and an actual person.

"Right," Chris nods and gingerly puts his hand on Ava's back as he starts to lead her away from the children and into the elevator. Ava looks back at the three women with frightened eyes.

When Naomi sees the way Katie's expression holds worry and concern, she recalls the word she used to describe Katie to Ava, before she knew 'Miss Katie' was actually Katie Fitch.

_Maternal._

It fit.

"Ems," Katie says finally turning to face the redhead and the blonde.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna go follow Chris…I don't think he'll take Ava to her doctor." Katie huffs a laugh. "He's so stupid he'll probably take her to the surgery center by accident." She shakes her head and catches up with them. Even from where they stand, Naomi and Emily can see that Katie and Chris have pressed the button countless times. Katie spins around and grabs hold of the first unfortunate nurse she could get her hands on.

"The bloody lift isn't working!" Katie exclaims. Emily is grinning as she watches her sister make such a fuss that the nurse gives her a key to a private elevator not too far away.  
>Once they are out of sight, curiosity gets the best of Naomi and she looks at Emily out of the corner of her eye, and speaks aloud the question she's been itching to ask.<p>

"How did she know what to do?"

"Katie?" Emily asks.

"Yeah, I didn't think she even knew what nausea was. And definitely not how to treat it." Naomi bites the inside of her cheek as she realizes that her comment was a bit harsh, and with Emily being Katie's sister, Naomi expected there to be consequences. To her surprise however, Emily laughed.

"That _is _how she comes off to most people." She agrees. "That's why they don't tend to believe her when she tells them she's a midwife." Naomi eyes go wide and she nods, confirming that she would be one of those people. "But yeah, being a midwife, she tends to deal with a lot of nausea."

Naomi remembers Ava's comment about Katie not being able to have children. As she begins to put the pieces together, an inexplicable feeling overcomes Naomi's whole. Mourn, she decides, is the best way to describe this feeling. No one has physically died, but the blonde imagines that Katie –much like every other woman on the planet– would have loved to have children and was devastated upon finding out that she would never be able to. It is Katie's dreams as a woman to have her own family, that have died. Naomi hopes that the Delonge children are wrong about Katie being infertile. The more she thinks about it being actually being truth, the more the mourn spreads.

When Naomi glances over at Emily, she finds that those brown eyes are already on her. Naomi opens her mouth to say something but a tugging at her pants stops her. It's Jonah.

"Naomi where's Ava?"

"Katie and Chris took her away. She didn't feel so good." Jonah looks at her as if she's grown a second head. He points to Emily.

"Miss Katie did? But isn't she right- oh…sorry miss. I thought you were Miss Katie." Jonah's cheeks go pink from embarrassment and he looks down.

"I'm Emily." She smiles as Jonah steps forward and sticks his hand out in the same gesture as his sister did minutes ago. Emily sees no physical resemblance between the two children, what with Jonah's hair being a light brown instead of the blue-black that his sister has. Even with green eyes of his own, they are not the emerald green that Ava has.

"Jonah Rocket Delonge, it's a pleasure to meet you." They shake hands and Jonah soon after announces that he's going to find Ava. He excuses himself and tells the two women to have a nice day. Emily turns to Naomi, as soon as Jonah leaves.

"Is his name really Jonah _Rocket_?"

"Lovely name isn't it?"

"Very creative…" Emily's brown eyes are looking off into the distance and she blinks herself out of her trance. "Either way, they're precious." Emily states as she and Naomi sit down on the only adult suitable seats in the entire play area. It's a round table with two colorful chairs that accompany it. It's within spitting distance of the Lego table Naomi had been at with Ava and Jonah. The blonde shakes her head and grins.

"I think they have better manners than the royal family."

"They definitely make me feel uneducated…" Naomi laughs and Emily watches as the blonde's face lights up. It had never been solemn, Emily thinks, but she has never seen Naomi's face display genuine happiness. The blonde's face had always been somewhat indifferent to the world around her.

This time however, it was a genuine smile. One that reached all the way up to those dazzling eyes of hers.

"Yeah, they do that." Naomi muses and fiddles with the sleeves of her suit. She wants to bring back the topic of Katie's profession but feels it too late, since the topic has already shifted.

She has obviously underestimated Emily's ability to read her.

"So you just gonna sit there or are you gonna tell me what you're thinking?" Emily asks and Naomi's head snaps up.

"We're not in a session Emily…I don't have to tell you anything."

"You're right. We're not in a session." She recognizes. "But can't one _friend _just ask another _friend_ what she's thinking?"

"About that…"

"It's fine Naomi. I wouldn't want to explain to a four year old what a counselor is either." Emily's nose scrunches up. "It's just easier to say friend." The blonde gazes at her for an amount of time that is slightly longer than what would be considered normal, and then slowly nods. "Because really, I am your friend. You're just paying me to tell you things that your other friends are too pussy to say." When Naomi's eyebrows raise, Emily's hands go up. "Sorry, I forgot about the _little ears that are present." _ Emily's imitation of her sister's lisp causes Naomi to giggle in her own high-pitched fashion.

"That's ridiculously accurate!" She manages to say in-between laughs. Emily smirks and shrugs.

"I've had long enough to learn how to do it…she's been there for practically every moment in my life. You could probably do an impression of your brother or sister?" Naomi's face wants to drop. She wants to stop smiling because she feels the life has been sucked out of the room, but there are only two reasons she isn't letting the smile immediately vanish. The first being she knows Emily would notice its sudden disappearance, Emily notices everything. The instant that her face turns serious, Emily would probably pull her notepad out of thin air and right that down. The redhead would know that topics involving her own family are a sensitive subject. Naomi would not let that happen. The second reason Naomi held onto her smile for just a few beats longer, also involved Emily; or more precisely her smile. It was something Naomi wanted to keep alive a bit longer. Emily's smile was so curvaceous and bow like, the blonde had never seen such a smile. It was a smile, Naomi thought, that could make anyone fall in love with this girl.

She takes a deep breath and slowly lets her smile fade away. A non-suspicious way to let a smile go.

"Nah," she says finally, "they're pretty boring."

Emily finds this understandable, seeing as the Fitch family was anything but boring, she didn't expect everyone's siblings to have mimic-able characteristics.

A group of children run by them, as a little boy is chasing after them. There is a toy that they have all managed to dodge but he doesn't see. Emily is oblivious it this, since her back is to them but Naomi sees as the little boy steps on the toy, causing him to topple forward. Time seems to move much slower for the blonde as she watches this all happen. It is clear to her that his forehead is going to make direct contact with the edge of the Lego table. His hands aren't out and there will be nothing to stop his injury. He lets out a scream as he is falling which catches Emily's attention. She lets out a gasp. The boy is milliseconds from impending doom and his eyes, like Emily's, shut in anticipation of the table.

But it never comes.

It is then when the boy feels a yanking on his hospital gown and a firm grip around his waist. He looks up to see Naomi with one hand full of his gown and her other arm wrapped around his lower torso. She sets him down and says nothing. Before he can respond she cuts him off.

"Don't run." She sits herself back on her seat and tries not to meet the other girl's gaze but eventually gives in when Emily speaks.

"Nice save," Emily breathes out still on edge from the little boy's near death experience. Naomi shrugs and looks at everything in the room except for Emily. The redhead doesn't understand the sudden change in Naomi's mannerisms, and instead of drilling for the answer, she decides to save it for when they are actually in a session. She doesn't want Naomi to think that Emily is a psychologist 24 hours a day, but this was not something she was about to forget "What's this about then?" Emily asks as she gestures to Naomi's attire.

The blonde looks down as she forgot she hadn't changed yet. She feels a bit over dressed and somewhat self-conscious. Especially since Emily is casually dressed in ruffley purple shorts, charcoal colored tights, and a tight fitting black tee with the figures of tiny white birds flying diagonally across Emily's body. This combination would probably look slightly off on anyone else but on the petite redhead, it was absolutely adorable.

"Liam and I had this presentation thing," Naomi waves her hand in the air, then runs it through her blonde hair.

"That's the son, right?"

"Yeah, who by the way won't be perving on me anytime soon." Her hand settles with her palm supporting her chin and her fingers on her cheek.

"Why's that?" Emily asks, amused with the blonde's candor.

"Well, I guess I've bored him to death and he's found a new girl to lust over. She's quite cute actually. And the feeling is definitely mutual between them." Naomi sighs. "I'm glad that's over and done with."

"It's hard being so attractive isn't it?"

_Was that a compliment? _Naomi thinks. _I know it was a joke but was it a compliment as well? _Emily's face is practically challenging the blonde. The side smirk and shyly raised eyebrow seem to be instigating a reaction into Naomi. What reaction, she didn't know. What she did know however, was that something inside her told her that rolling with the joke would be a safe option.

"It really is. So many gentlemen and lady callers, it's distracting. Don't you agree?" Feeling proud at returning Emily's compliment in a covert fashion, Naomi waits for the redhead's reply.

"Not really," Emily shrugs which causes Naomi's heart to drop. If Emily wasn't joking, this would make Naomi look completely self-centered. "When there's a supposedly identical copy of me walking around, being flawless doesn't feel so special." The glint in her brown eyes that indicated she was still somewhat joking took the weight off Naomi's shoulders.

"Supposedly identical? What do you mean?"

"Well obviously Katie and I don't think we look anything alike, but everyone else thinks otherwise." Naomi's eyebrows furrow together and she leans in, across the table, closer to Emily.

"I don't think you look anything like her?"

"Really?"

"Really." Emily is looking at Naomi, obviously thrilled that she feels that way. "Even if you had the same colored hair, I could list all the differences." Curiosity peaked, Emily leans in as well.

"List them?" Naomi looks up and nods her head from side to side.

"Yeah. List them."

"Alright, go on then."

"What?"

"List them."

"What…right….right _now_?" Emily rolls her eyes.

"No Naomi, next week…yes right now!" Naomi eyes are suspiciously taking in the redhead before her. Eventually she readjusts herself in her seat and leans in closer. A little _too _close. Close enough that even Emily herself wonders why Naomi is so close. "Naomi…what are you-?"

"Trying to remember all the differences, or did you expect me to have them memorized?" Emily swallows nervously as the blonde scrutinized her face. "Your nose is a bit thinner than Katie's." Naomi states and continues to search for differences. Emily nods.

"One…"

"Your face is more angular than hers." She gestures with her hand to Emily's face. "Like, more defined." Emily nods again.

"Two…" Naomi's leans over so she can see Emily's ears.

"You have more ear piercings than her," she concludes.

"That's not a difference that we were born with though…"

"It still distinguishes you from her," Naomi counters and Emily gives in,

"Fine…three."

"You don't dress as…_revealing_ as her." The redhead squints at Naomi accusingly. "That's a difference!"

"On what we wear! Not what we look like!"

"Emily, I'm _looking_ at your clothes right now!" Naomi insists. "And I can see that it's different from what Katie wears." Emily sighs.

"Four…" She mumbles. Naomi bites her lip at Emily's childlike mannerisms.

"Katie's lisp. And don't you dare tell me that's not a big difference between you two…" Emily doesn't protest and simply nods her head once again.

"Five," Naomi puckers her lips as she searches for physical differences. Her blue eyes stop at Emily's brown ones. She stares deep into them and comes up with what she feels is the biggest difference.

"You're eyes…" She says softly.

Emily's face displays her confusion. "They're brown? Just like Katie's."

"Yeah, but yours are…" Naomi's mouth twitches as she searches for the word. The redhead sitting before her waits patiently and completely straight faced, except for the tiny part in between her lips. "Softer," Naomi says finally. "And deeper." Emily for the first time in a long time doesn't know what to say. She has never had anyone compliment her eyes. They were brown, the most ordinary and plain color that eyes could be. She imagined that Naomi received countless compliments on her stunning blue orbs, so maybe to her, the compliment wasn't that special. Emily however, would remember this. The day when someone…no not just someone, _Naomi, _complimented her eyes.

"Softer?" She croaks out, her voice huskier than usual.

"Katie's are more aggressive…I mean…I don't know how to explain it actually? I just know that yours are softer." Emily once again purses her lips. "I like yours better."

It is then when both girls become aware of the close proximity at which they are in. They would only need to extend their necks and their faces would touch. Both of them were very much aware of this, but said nothing. Silence has never bothered them, and it definitely doesn't now. Even with the screams of the children around them, Naomi and Emily are focused on each other's eyes. Until a certain clearing of the throat snaps them out of their daze.

"Excuse me…" Jonah's voice causes both girls' head to snap. Naomi sits back in her chair, while Emily holds her position. "Miss Katie wants you to come to Ava's room…but if you want I'll tell her you busy-"

"No, Jonah," Naomi stops him, "We were just going to check on Ava now, right Emily?" The redhead looks between Naomi and Jonah and nods.

"Yeah, we were just going." Emily stands and Naomi quickly follows. Jonah watches as Emily sneaks glances toward Naomi when the blonde isn't looking. He notices as Naomi does the same. She doesn't do it as frequent as Emily and he doesn't know what that means. He soon dismisses it as something girls do and thinks nothing of it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter was shorter than what I usually write BECAUSEEEEEE I've been so busy in the past two weeks that I felt guilty for not updating, so I was like FUCK I GOT TO GIVE THEM WHAT I HAVE SO FAR. I think it was a good place to end? Leave them wanting more yes? Alright so if your not following me on twitter, your life sucks. "Wildabraappears". Uh, review or I'll think that no one is reading this and then wont update as often. ULTIMATUMS. Dont you love them? Anyways. Thank you to everyone who _does _read this and special thanks to whoever found me on tumblr and send me an message, saying "Update your story" or something of that nature? And to "frezentenov" who tweeted me asking when I was going to update this, I'm about to tweet you so you'll be the first to know:D  
>REVIEW. GO. <strong>


	10. Chapter 10: Inaccurate Papers

**Chapter 10: Inaccurate Papers**

* * *

><p>The overly sanitary room is engulfed in silence as Ava lay on her equally as sanitary hospital bed rubbing her stomach. Chris is sat in the chair to her left, with Jonah looking over his shoulder as he fiddles with his phone and his feet propped up on the unoccupied space at the end of the Ava's bed. Katie is to Ava's right, giving the little girl's shoulder a reassuring squeeze every now and then. There's nothing to be worried about and Katie knows that, however, she feels is necessary to tell the doctor. Naomi, staring out the window with her arms crossed, is being carefully observed by Emily who has long since abandoned trying to look casual by attempting to mimic Chris's method of entertainment through her phone. There's only so much you can do on a phone before it bores you, and only so much you can do to try and ignore Naomi. After a minute she quits and takes up an activity much more captivating. An activity involving a blonde beauty who was obviously swimming in a deep river of thoughts and wasn't coming out anytime soon.<p>

It was safe to openly stare at Naomi, Emily decided, since she was definitely too lost to even know where she was at the moment. Chris was distracted by some game involving pissed off birds, Katie was playing the role of the over protective mother bear, and the DeLonge children were much too young to notice themselves. With the assurance of not being caught set aside, Emily's brain could now focus all its strength onto solving the living puzzle that stood by the window.

Even with that task taking up a good proportion of her brain power, Emily was also trying to convince herself that she wasn't perving and that this was purely professional observing. They weren't in a session and Emily wasn't treating Naomi as if they were. She is simply observing someone –who happens to be one of her patients– while they're not in the confines of her office. People usually tend to let their guard down when they feel the atmosphere is casual.

_But Naomi needs safety. _

From her spot against the wall and next to the door, Emily breathes heavily out her nose. The complications that come with this blonde woman are overwhelming her.

Then why does she still welcome the complications?

Naomi is still staring out the window, actually thinking of nothing. She feels someone's eyes on her but holds no courage to see who it is. She bites her lip and doesn't move. The redhead continues to stare and is becoming more and more convinced that whatever had allowed her to read Naomi so easily today was just a rare moment of vulnerability, and she would have to wait for another one if she wanted to read the blonde that easily again. As Naomi bit her lip, Emily began to give herself reasons as to why what she was doing wouldn't be considered perving, but then her sister's voice stopped her train of thought dead in its tracks. Especially since she was speaking twin, something they only did if the conversation was private.

"_You know Emsy_," Katie said, "_If you take a picture. It'll last longer." _Katie's lisp was ever present as she spoke their secret language which ironically consisted of many "s" sounds. Emily turned towards her sister to see Katie with an expectant and challenging look. The redhead has one foot firmly on the floor and the other up against the wall. She brings the one that is against the wall down and gives her sister a hard look.

"_At least I'm not trying to get into her pants." _Emily motions towards Chris and raises her eye brows at her sister. Katie huffs.

"_Yeah, not yet." _Emily rolls her eyes. "_And I'm not trying to shag Chris, loser."_

"The fuck is that?" Chris' voice interrupts the twins' private conversation. "Ya know, at first I thought Katie was just on something. But then when _you _started talking like that Emily, I thought maybe you were both dropped on ya heads when you were little." The sisters exchange a look that captures the attention of everyone present in the room. Even Naomi has turned away slightly from the window, looking curiously at Emily.

"Miss Katie…" Ava whispers as she tugs away at the hem of Katie's shirt. "Mr. Chris said another naughty word! Are you gonna bop him again?" Katie shoots Chris a warning look.

"Do you not understand that we are in the presence of _little ears_?" Naomi and Emily both glance at each other hoping that the other has caught their little joke as well. When their eyes meet and it is clear that they have both remembered Emily's spot on imitation, the redhead grins widely as Naomi conceals her laughter with coughing. The older Fitch's eyes flash from her sister to Naomi, and she narrows them on the blonde. "Something funny Campbell?"

Naomi looks up innocently and contains her laughter. She shakes her head but no one would believe her with that grin on her face. Chris and Jonah don't seem to care about whatever Naomi is laughing at, since they go back to their game after Chris apologizes to the little girl for using a naughty word.

"Whatever." Katie says unconvinced.

"Miss Katie…" Ava wines, "Can I go now? I want to play." Chris's feet come off of her bed and he leans forward, pointing his phone at her.

"Not with a stomach like that you're not," He shakes his head, "I'm sorry Av, but I can't have ya runnin' around ready to blow! One second you could be fine and dandy, and the next BAM! Ya just puked on a cancer kid." When Chris looks up, he is met by five astonished faces.

"Do you not hear how the shit that comes out your mouth sounds or…?" Katie half questions, half spits.

" 'Fraid not," Naomi replies for her golden haired mate, "He says shit like that all the time."

"Shit like what?" Surprising everyone, it was Ava's voice who asked that.

"Ava!" Jonah exclaims.

"What?" She sees nothing wrong with what she just said and looks around the room for answers. "Miss Katie and Mr. Chris _and _Naomi say naughty words. Why can't I say naughty words too?" She holds up her hands and it serves as a reminder to everyone to just how young Ava is. "The only people that doesn't say naughty words-"

"Only _person._" Jonah corrects.

"Only _person,_" Ava mocks her brother, "is Miss Emily. So tell me again why I can't say naughty words!"

"I don't say naughty words," Jonah reminds her.

"Yeah, but you're a pussy." Ava says flatly.

"Jesus Christ!" Naomi exclaims and steps away from the window and toward Ava's bed. "Ava, that is a very very naughty word…okay?" The little girl doesn't give Naomi the time of day, and merely sticks her nose in the air as she points to Chris.

"Mr. Chris says it."

"Woah woah woah!" The golden haired lad holds his hands up in defense. "I've definitely never said _that _in front of the kids. Specially not Ava!" Emily has joined Naomi at the foot of Ava's bed and elbows the blonde in the side. Naomi turns and gives her a questioning look that is answered as Emily motions towards her sister. Katie had been glaring at Chris and she looked just about ready to rip his teeth out.

"Just so you know," Katie says scornfully, "I blame you for all of this." His eyes widen.

"Me? Okay….okay. Before we go all pointing fingers and shi-….stuff..." He slowly corrects himself, "Why don't we explain to Ava _why _she can't say those words and we can."

"That would be nice…" Ava offers. Katie pats the small girls blue-black hair before replying.

"Ava sweetheart," Katie's voice is significantly softer than it was about a minute ago. "When you're old enough to buy fags, you can say whatever you want."

"Naw! Fuck that! Listen Avs," Chris drags his chair closer to her bed, "When you start to get hair on ya privates you can say whatever you want." Katie leans across Ava's bed and slaps Chris upside the head.

"Do you hear yourself!" She spits. "That's a totally different talk that we are _not _having now!" Both Ava and Jonah look equally as horrified and Emily and Naomi have watched the dialogue go back and forth like a tennis match.

Chris looks up, clearly ready for battle. "What about you! Telling her she has to buy fags to say naughty words? That's subliminal messaging right there, man!"

"Erm…" A somewhat elderly man in a white coat appears at the door.

"Doctor Gurdus?" Naomi asks and receives a friendly but somber nod. That simple nod was enough to cause uneasiness amongst everyone else in the room. They all exchanged uncertain glances and the mood was immediately changed. The loud and casual feeling that the room once held, had disappeared the second Doctor Gurdus gave his dramatic nod. Instead, anticipation and stillness had come to replace it.

Jonah leaves his spot next to Chris, and threw himself onto the bed next to his sister, ignoring the protest from his throbbing hip. His right hand clumsily grips Ava's left and their green eyes lock onto the doctor. Katie, Chris, Naomi and Emily all turn to mush at the sight of this simple gesture and all arguments between them are immediately forgotten. All eyes are on the doctor and he sighs as he feels the pressure in the room settle.

"Well out with it then?" Naomi says after the much too long pause.

"Is everything alright doctor?" Emily tries for a less than offensive response and successfully makes the air in the room a few degrees lighter. Naomi glances at the redhead next to her and wonders what classes in university people take to become a manipulator of feelings. How do you learn to not only be aware of what people are feeling, but also change whatever those feelings are into something better…or worse?

Doctor Gurdus shakes his head and many hearts drop.

"Would you like to step outside for some priva-"

"Whatever it is you gotta say, just say it doctor." Chris interjects.

"Don't be a pussy doctor…" Even though Ava whispered this as she shrunk into Jonah's side, the entire room heard it.

None of them corrected her.

Doctor Gurdus takes a few steps towards them and angles himself towards Katie. She watches him, her face tight and her hand clamped firmly on the armrest of Ava's bed. Both of the children see this, and their free hands reach over to her arm, attempting to calm the tense Fitch.

The plump, elderly doctor sets down a few papers that no one had noticed he'd been holding. No one except Emily, who had been taking in his every move since he appeared at the door. He runs his wrinkled hand through his white hair and it settles on the back of his neck. He sighs, then opens and closes his mouth various times. The suspense in the room grows until Naomi becomes tired of this on edge feeling and takes in a breath to speak. She is taking a step to move around Emily, when she feels the redhead's touch on her stomach. The blonde looks up and sees that Emily's eyes are still firmly set on the doctor. She looks back down at the petite arm that has blocked her way. Naomi understands Emily's implied message and decides against saying something to the doctor that she'll probably regret. Emily's hand soon drops and Naomi's blue eyes are once again on Doctor Gurdus.

"I'm afraid there's not much we can do…it's a lost cause…" The doctor hangs his head as he shakes it and stares at the polished floor.

Chris stands up, wanting to say something, but having no idea what. The DeLonge children say nothing, just look to the adults in the room for an answer. Emily and Naomi are wearing identical expressions. Confused and worried.

It is Katie Fitch however, who sheds some light.

"What the fuck are you on right now?" She demands.

The doctor's head snaps up and he looks at her wondering if perhaps maybe he should be asking her the same question.

"She had nausea, not a seizure!" The doctor looks frantically at the faces in the room who are just as confused as he.

"Nausea?" He asks slowly. His eyes go wide and before he can even reach for his papers, they are snatched into the clutches of a much quicker Katie Fitch. She starts reading them and although the entire room waits for a devastated reaction, it's definitely not what they get.

"You have the wrong room Doctor _Girdle_!"

"Gurdus…"

"Whatever!" Katie shoves all of the papers except for two in his face. "You can pretty much fuck off now." She spits.

The doctor doesn't ask about the two papers that Katie has kept, and rushes out of the room. Katie rolls her eyes.

"Good for nothing piece of-"

"What are those?" Emily gestures toward where her sister has the papers gripped firmly in her hand.

"This," Katie holds out one paper for Emily to read, "Is the paper he was supposed to fucking give us. And this," She hands Naomi the other, "Is the paper he thought was for Ava." Emily and Naomi read and exchange the papers they were handed. Katie turns to the children on the bed and her voice goes back to the kind motherly form. "You're going to be fine Ava. You just can't be picked up and thrown around like a doll." Katie gives Chris a pointed look.

"Ay, I won't lift you ever again," Chris says, "Not even after you're better. I'm not taking any chances on you!" Ava pouts and crosses her arms, effectively swaying Chris's decision. "Alright…maybe after you're better…"

Jonah sits up and lets go of his sister who had been clinging to him in horror during the events that had taken place.

"I thought doctors were supposed to be smart?" He asks.

"Yeah well," Emily says holding up the paper she currently held in her hand, "That one thought your sister had a tumor." Jonah wrinkles his nose.

"Okay, well she doesn't so I'm gonna go play!" Jonah goes to jump off the bed but his sister grabs his shirt, causing him to be pulled back to the bed in midair.

"No! You're staying here for the ice cream!" He rubs his neck and squints at his sister.

"What ice cream?" Her little hand points to Naomi.

"Naomi said she would buy me ice cream after I got better! Remember Naomi? Before the…the trans….trans…"

"Transplant." Jonah finishes for her.

"Yes! Trans…plant!" She stands up on the bed and goes to jump, but upon hearing her brother groan and rub his hip from the movement on the bed she's caused, she slowly sits back down.

"I do remember that…" Naomi recalls the day Ava is referring to, "But you're not allowed to leave yet Ava."

"Nooo!" The little girl slams her head back into her pillow and covers her eyes with her palms. "You promised Naomi!"

"I said when you were all better…you're still not all better." Ava sits up and sticks her tongue out at the blonde.

"At least she didn't stick something else up…" Chris states and receives three hard looks. "And that's my cue to get the fuc- uh _fudge _out." He starts to get up but is stopped abruptly by the screams of a four year old.

"No! I want my ice cream!" The sudden authority in Ava's voice leaves everyone in the room unsure on what to do. Jonah however, knew exactly what to do.

"Ava!" He whispers, "That's not polite!"

"What is?"

"Asking for food. Mum and dad said so!"

"Mum and dad said accepting food when people ask if you want some isn't polite either…" Ava grumbles. "It's like they want us to starve!"

"Av," Chris joins Katie by the side of the bed, "I say, take _any _food. Even if it's not offered to ya."

"Shut up Chris, you're not being a good influence." Katie says as she shoves him away.

"Can't you get some here?" Emily asks but the idea is immediately tossed out the window as Ava makes a disgusted face and a gaging noise.

"The ice cream here is like bat droppings." The mental image has successfully made every face in the room scrunch up in disgust. "Sorry…" Ava laughs, not sounding sorry at all.

"You know what?" Naomi says looking thoughtful, "I'll get you some ice cream Ava." The little girl's green eyes light up and she throws her hands above her head.

"Yes!"

"No…" Jonah groans and Naomi smirks at his failed attempts to train his little sister.

"Aw come on Jo!" Chris playfully ruffles his hair. "Don't be such a party pooper man!"

"It's alright Jonah, I _did_ promise her." He nods, looking defeated. "I'll get you some too if you'd like?" His eyes shoot up to the blonde.

"Really?"

"Really. What kind?" The two children debate on which flavour they want and Katie gives her input on why ice cream is strictly designated as food to only be eaten when you're in an emotional emergency. Naomi listens as Chris insists upon cookies and cream and Katie reminds him that the ice cream isn't for him.

"I'll go with you," Emily leans over and says this softly to Naomi.

_Of course, _Naomi thinks, _she may not pester me with questions, but she'll pester me with her presence. _Even though the blonde had said this all in her own mind, she herself felt that sounded meaner than Emily deserved. The redhead hadn't done anything bad to Naomi, so she felt it unfair to even think unkind thoughts about Emily.

She sighs. "Alright, just as soon as they agree on something for us to get."

"Chocolate."

"Vanilla…"

"Shut up Jonah! Chocolate!"

"Ava…please be quiet…vanilla!"

"Uptight pansy!"

"Mannerless slob!"

"Woah! Before you two pull out ya shanks," Chris interjects, "Av, how about you get your chocolate and Jo, you get your vanilla. Yeah?"

"There _is _such a thing as separate orders…" Katie adds.

The way both children frown at each other makes them look like twins for a split second.

"Fine." They say in unison.

"Great," Naomi breathes, "let's go Emily." Katie's eyebrows come together and she gives her sister a questioning look. The younger Fitch shrugs in response but their silent conversation went unnoticed by anyone else.

"Miss Emily!" The redhead spins around just as she and Naomi are going through the door. Ava scrambles to get off the bed, and eventually, Katie has to pick her up and then set her down on the floor. The little girl dashes over to Emily and, with her index finger, motions for the redhead to come down to her level. Emily looks back at Naomi who is of no help. Ava urges her again.

When Emily finally bends over, Ava whispers something in audible to the rest of the room into Emily's ear.

"When you get the ice cream…" Ava had said, "Make Naomi run back with it so it doesn't melt! I want to eat the ice cream. Not drink it."

* * *

><p>It's hard to believe that just this morning, Kieran had been strapped to a table and been branded. Several times. It felt like ages ago because now he was crawling through the sewers. The distance between him and his prison, growing. He could see the sunlight. He knows it's only been eight days since he's seen the sun, but it feels like ages. Kieran longed for the suns warmth, he would welcome it by ripping open his shirt and letting its rays hug his bare flesh. He picks up his pace as best he can with his sore knees that are just about ready to give out. The sunlight gets closer and closer and he can feel himself get warmer...and then it's gone.<p>

It was as if the sun had been turned off, or whisked away to another more deserving soul.

"No…" Kieran croaks out, and his hand reaches to where the sun was at moments ago. His knees can take no more, and he feels them collapse beneath him, causing his entire body to hit the cold putrid floor. Bringing his hands to wrap around himself, Kieran tries to sob but the tears don't flow down his cheeks like he expects them too. Instead he feels a much thicker liquid coming down from his eyes. With the sun gone, Kieran is in complete darkness and doesn't even try to see what color the liquid is, but the faint smell of iron makes its way into his nostrils.

_Blood. _

The blood trickles down his face and onto the floor, making a disgusting splat sound. He's ready to give up. He's ready for it to be over. This would be an acceptable place to die. He would be completely alone. But then he feels an excruciating pain in his arm. It's like a thousand needles are imbedding themselves into his arm, only to pull themselves out and dig in again. He grits his teeth and slams his head on the floor in attempt to not have the pain coming from a single place.

He gets his wish.

The needle like pain starts to spread. They go from their place in his forearm to up his bicep and onto his shoulder.

"What the fuck…" Kieran says, out of breath. He grabs his shoulder and tries to isolate the pain in one place and stop it from spreading. Lifting his arm up in hopes that stopping the blood flow will help, Kieran lets out a desperate wail as it seems to help the needles break through the blockade he has made in his shoulder. His back arches and the needles are everywhere. His arms. His legs. His torso. His neck and head are the last remaining body parts that have not been taken over by the needles. All hope is lost when Kieran feels the swarm of needles start to inch their way up his neck. His neck is now a vibrating bridge between his already infested body and his soon to be taken over head.

The needles hammer at his skull and Kieran feels ready to die. They swarm faster. He doesn't care what happens to him. They are drilling into his skull faster than ever and he is sure death is going to come any moment now, until he jolts forward and his face hits a table.

"What…?" He rubs his blood free cheek and instead finds sweat. Looking down at himself, he is sitting on a chair and in the rags he was given to wear by David's goons.

He's not being attacked by needles. He's fine. He's not dying. He's alive…but more importantly, he hasn't escaped.

"Dammit." He lets his head drop onto the table. Kieran lifts it and slams it back down a few times until he decides he's ready to take in his surroundings. He sighs and looks up to see he's in a small room. Not his cell but not David's office either. The only things in this room are the chair Kieran currently sits in, the table in front of him, another chair for a person who would sit opposite him, and what was supposed to pass for a mirror but Kieran knew was a one way window. When he waves sarcastically to whoever is watching him, he hears a clicking sound and a door opens. The door is practically invisible when closed and even with Kieran's quick scan of the room, he had not noticed it until now.

Whoever the woman is that is entering, isn't facing him, she walking backwards and her heels are the only sound in the room. She shuts the door closed and Kieran takes notice of her cat-like body. He only knows one person whose body like that.

"If I haven't told any of them anything, what makes you think I'll tell _you_?" The woman turns around and smiles at him. Her eyes are the same grey, lifeless pools that he remembers them to be.

"I wanted to surprise you," She sits down on the chair, "you ruined it."

"You may have dyed your hair but I'd know that body anywhere." He says feigning friendliness. "And that voice…oh that voice! Who wouldn't recognize that softer than a babies' bottom voice?" The woman counters his fake affection by putting her hand to her heart and putting on a touched look on her face.

"Still as charming as ever I see."

Kieran looks up at the ceiling and nods appraisingly. "You've got…" His head goes from side to side, "Two minutes until I wring your neck. And they started the second you walked in here."

"Lovely." She says and intertwines her hands on the table. "Where is she?"

Kieran snickers. "You'll have to be a bit more creative than _that_."

"Well you said two minutes…kinda don't want to waste time." The Irishman stares blankly at her then leans back, still saying nothing. "I want you to take a look at these." She pulls out three papers, but she has them turned over so Kieran can't see their contents. "I want you to point to the most accurate one."

"One minute." He says in reply.

She turns over the three papers, one revealing a young woman, with blue eyes and black hair. The second, the same young woman with blue eyes and blonde hair. The third, with red hair.

Kieran has seen pictures like this and he knows it an aging program, and obviously they were using one to get an idea of what Naomi currently looks like. The young woman that the computer has composed doesn't look like Naomi, not even in the picture with blonde hair. It was a very vague and non-specific attempt to guess what she looked like. Kieran keeps his poker face and points to the one with the blonde hair.

"Right," The woman nods and holds up the picture for herself. Placing her index fingers and thumbs on the top edge of the paper, the woman tears it into two pieces. She continues to rip it until there is no way someone could put it back together. While this happens, Kieran looks on without any hint of emotion readable on his aging face. "I know you Kieran. I know you would point to the wrong one to throw us off." She smiles. "Cheers. You've given us a fifty-fifty shot."

"Fifteen seconds," He replies.

"Au revoir Kieran!" The woman waves at him with her three fingers as she opens the door and disappears into whatever is beyond it.

He wants to laugh at how absolutely ridiculous she and everyone else working for David is, trying to be two steps ahead, but his face remains completely serious. He lays his head on the table, wanting to escape the torture that is this reality.

Strangely enough, Kieran finds himself wanting to be back in the sewer. Back to a place where there is no emotional pain, all the pain is physical. That place sounds nice, he thinks. Anywhere is better than here.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I was gonna make this a little tiny bit longer and go into Naomi and Emily getting the icecream BUT you guys gave me so many lovely reviewws that I was like FUCK IT, they get it now. See what happens when you review? ANDREA GETS SHIT DONE. Anywaysss. Another chapter will be up sometime this weekend. If you guys havent noticed, I update in the weekends. Uh...thank you to everyone who reviewed and...uhm...I know I'm forgetting something because I always forget to put something here and it bugs the shit out of me. Whatever? SO. Did you like the chapter? Katie? Chris? Ava and Jonah? The beginning of Naomily? Finally right? I felt you guys getting antsy last chapter because we we're going into chapter 9 with barely any Naomily shit...WELL ALL IN DUE TIME. I dont want to talk about Kieran's stuff because I'll give shit away...anyways, continue to ponder and wonder and if you wanna tell me your predictions, BY ALL MEANS GO AHEAD! So that means review...**


	11. Chapter 11: Reversal of Roles

**Chapter 11: Reversal of Roles  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Naomi had just stepped out of the hospital doors and into the cool breeze of the mid-September London air. It's unusually cold for this time of year and even though the weather isn't the coldest it has ever been, the suit she was wearing had started to become a nuisance. Even more so now that she realized it was the worst thermal insulator known to mankind.<p>

"Fucks sake…" she mumbles as she pulls the blazer tighter around her body as an effort to keep the heat in. An effort that is useless seeing as the blazer openly welcomes the unwanted bite of the air.

She hadn't heard the automatic doors slide open to let Emily out, and was only aware of the other girl's presence when she spoke.

"Which way are we going?" Emily was putting on her own pea coat that Naomi had failed to see when it was that she picked up. It was a tight little pea coat and was probably meant for a large child, or in this case, a petite adult. Naomi could see that it wasn't made to be worn in bitter weather but it was enough to keep Emily warm.

As Emily fixes the last button, she looks up to the blonde who hasn't answered her yet. She catches Naomi's eyes on her and only has a split second to assess what those blue eyes held before Naomi turned away. Emily's eyes linger on the blonde for bit longer as she eyes her warily. She is the only one out of the two that senses the sudden shift between them since the incident in the play area. Before Jonah had interrupted whatever it was they had been doing.

Whether she deducted this from her psychological training, or from a sixth sense, she was not sure.

Emily usually understood things like this…she usually understood everything. However, as she thought back, she remembers having been paying zilch attention to hers and Naomi's actions when it had taken place. She knows for a fact that her brain had been functioning properly until Naomi complemented her eyes. Almost as if Naomi had produced a haze with that one complement that managed to allure Emily away from any sensible thinking. It was as if all of her observant tendencies had shut off and she had been reduced to an average human being. An average human being with only basic understanding of her own species and minimal awareness of her surroundings. It was frustrating.

Naomi rubs her hands together and motions towards their left. The only thing on her mind is how terribly cold she is.

"We have to hurry though," she checks her watch, "the nurses will kick our arses out if we're here a second past visiting hours." Naomi starts towards the sidewalk and hears Emily's footsteps as the redhead's smaller legs pick up their pace to catch up to the taller blonde.

* * *

><p>"Three of a kind! Boom!" Tyler slams his hand of cards on the table as Kieran and Adam shake their heads at his three kings. They all sit in the same room that Kieran had woken up in from the terrifying nightmare. The woman had long since gone and not returned to question Kieran anymore, but Adam and Tyler were assigned to supervise Kieran through the one way window. Eventually the two young men grew tired of sitting and started up a game of poker with the old Irishman.<p>

"Rigged. This deck is definitely fucking rigged." Adam scratches the back of his head, causing his dark messy curls to become even messier. He isn't content with an average scratch and continues to claw at his skull. Kieran peers over his cards at the young man.

"You alright there boyo?" Kieran gathers all of their cards and begins to shuffle them for the next round. "Scratch any harder and you might hit bone."

Adam's face scrunches up as he appeases his irritated skin. He sighs in relief and then nods to Kieran.

"I reckon it's just 'cause the baths here have gotten pretty fucking weird." Tyler, who has been gaping at Kieran's skilful hands shuffling the deck like a master, nodded his head in agreement.

"The water smells like chemicals," Tyler says this as he continues to stare as the cards in Kieran's hands seem to dance. Kieran starts to deal the cards.

"If you don't like the water here, why don't you two shower at your own houses?" Kieran offers simply, but is shut down as the boys take their cards and shake their heads.

"Can't." Tyler says examining his cards and turning away from Adam suspiciously. Adam grins and puts a protective hand around his own cards. The Irishman hasn't looked at his cards yet; the statements that the two boys have made have given him a sudden curiosity that he can't seem to shake off. His face remains indifferent and he casually asks his next question as he pretends to look at his hand.

"Now whys that?"

Adam lays down an unwanted card and draws another. "We don't get to leave here either," he says as his face displays discontent with the card he just drew. Kieran doesn't want to push his luck with the information he is receiving and keeps quiet. He soon learns however, that he doesn't have to say anything.

"Yeah, every two weeks or something we get like _a day_ for ourselves," Tyler whines and swaps a card from his hand for one from the deck, "and then it's back here." The two boys aren't the brightest, but Kieran knows better than to ask where exactly "here" is. He sticks with the term they have used to ask his question.

"You sleep here?" Kieran asks.

"Yeap," The boys reply.

"You eat here?"

"Yeap,"

"…You…_live _here?"

"Sort of," Adam replies and gives away another card in exchange for yet again another unsatisfactory one.

Tyler picks out a card from his hand and debates with himself whether or not to get rid of it. He eventually puts the card down and picks up another. "It's not that much different from what's going on with you here, Kieran." He says.

The Irishman keeps an unreadable face. "Except I'm being kept here against my will." He points out.

For the first time in this round, Adam and Tyler have turned their eyes away from their cards and instead, have set them on each other.

They say nothing.

Kieran decides to lay his cards down.

"Two Jacks," He says simply.

Tyler groans and lets his head fall to the table. Adam picks up his friend's cards and inspects them.

"Yeah," Adam says finally, "neither of us have anything. I guess you won that one Kieran." He tosses both his and Tyler's cards to the table.

The Irishman nods appreciatively and beings to once again gather their cards.

"I guess I did."

* * *

><p>"Hey lady! Here's your order."<p>

Naomi glares at the obese man handing her two cups that contain Ava and Jonah's ice cream. She opens her mouth and is about to teach this man some manners, but before she can, Emily materializes out of nowhere and glides over to the man.

"Thank you!" She graciously takes the cups and smiles a warming smile that changes the man's demeanour.

"Well now," he says looking directly at Emily, "that's nice innit?" He leans over the counter and points to Naomi. "Teach your girlfriend to be that charming, would you?"

Naomi hears this and once again is cut off before she can correct him.

"I'll be sure to do that," Emily says laughing slightly. The blonde rolls her eyes and sees no reason to fight this meaningless mistake the man has made. "Come on," Emily hurries past Naomi and makes her way to the door. The blonde followers her and since Emily's hands are full, she stops in front of the door and with her eyes, asks Naomi to open it for her. Naomi's fingers are curling around the handle, when she is yet again interrupted.

"Go on!" The man calls from the counter, "Be a good girlfriend and open it for her!" Naomi shoots daggers at the man, but eventually opens the door for Emily.

"Thanks," the redhead says and gives a more genuine smile than the one she had previously given to the man. In return, Naomi smiles bashfully and fails to look her directly in the eyes.

"Mhm," is her reply.

Emily steps out of the ice cream shop, and Naomi accidently makes eye contact with the man as she leaves; he blows her an obscene kiss. Naomi glances at Emily who is still walking out and raises her middle finger at the man.

"Oww!" he exclaims, "kitty's got claws!"

A sound originating in the back of Naomi's throat revealed just how disgusted she was with this man.

Telling him off would be pointless, she decides, it would be a waste of the limited time she has before visiting hours are over. Naomi sarcastically smiles at the obnoxious man and steps through the door to join Emily outside. They ignore what is probably a cat call from the man inside and Naomi remembers that Emily is still holding both ice creams.

"Here Emily, let me take those." Naomi pulls her hands out of her pockets and her arms extend to her right, where Emily is walking in pace with her. But the redhead is quick and lifts the cups in her hands from their previous waist-height position, to her shoulders.

"They're cups of ice cream Naomi, not heaps of metal. I can hold them until we get to the hospital." Naomi is slow to retract her arms; Emily sees this and felt it a bit harsh to deny the blonde's simple act of kindness. "Actually…they make my hands pretty cold." She offers Naomi the small cup in her left hand. "Take this one?"

Naomi's eyes flash from the cup, to Emily's eyes, and then back to the cup.

"Let me take both," she says reaching for the one in Emily's right hand, "like you said, they're not heaps of metal."

Smirking , Emily clutches the cup closer to her chest and shakes her head.

"I've got it."

Naomi purses her lips as they twitch from the cold, nods and although she has never cared whether someone felt uncomfortable in a situation, she wants to fill the usual silence between the two of them with conversation. Emily is nice to talk to, she decides, when they're not in her office.

But easy conversation is not one of Naomi's fortes. Especially not with her counselor being on the receiving end of the conversation. Emily could probably find out more in the way Naomi said the word "the" than a scientist could if a meteor landed in his backyard.

As she searches for topics that would be safe, a large group of people are walking toward them on the sidewalk. The crowd is large enough that Naomi and Emily will have to maneuver themselves through, and seeing as Emily is the one closest to the edge of the sidewalk, she must choose one of two options.

She could step off of the sidewalk and onto the street, staying close to the edge until the crowd passes. The redhead finds this a preferred course of action, and starts to drift off the side walk, until one oblivious member of the crowd who is cackling at some joke, also steps off the side walk and ruins Emily's plans. She quickly hops back on and goes with plan B.

As her arm curls around the crook of Naomi's and she lets the blonde lead the way, she feels Naomi flinch from the sudden touch and expects her to stop completely. Surprisingly, Naomi keeps their pace steady but, Emily can feel how tense the blonde's body has become. Even if she's only holding onto her arm.

The crowd soon disappears behind the two girls, and their presence is soon forgotten. Instead, both girls –especially Naomi– have mentally stressed their current physical contact.

The blonde understood, after they were out of the herd of people, that Emily had linked their arms together, to properly get through. But now that they had taken a good five or six steps since then, what was her purpose?

Practically being able to hear Naomi questioning the simple gesture, Emily lets her arm slip away from the blonde's inner elbow and instead starts up a silence filling conversation.

"You know," the redhead says with both hands gripping the ice cream cup, "you never did tell me what you were thinking."

Naomi, one handedly pulls her blazer tighter around her, and silently curses her dress shoes for digging into the back of her ankle as she walks.

"You do that a lot."

"What?"

"Assume I know what it is you're talking about." Naomi turns to look at the redhead just in time to see her brown eyes roll.

"Remember when were in that play place? And the little boy almost banged his head open?" Naomi nods, refusing to look Emily in the eye. "You were thinking about something and you never told me what."

The blonde keeps her eyes glued to the floor and watches as her feet strut one after the other. She remembers Emily saying something of that nature, but she can't pick out exactly what it was.

"Remember? You snapped at me because 'we aren't in a session',"

Blue eyes square on the redhead.

"Yes, and I specifically remember you very accurately mocking your sister. You gonna mock me now too?" As Emily smirks, a thought occurs to Naomi.

_Katie, _she thinks, _that's what it was. _

Emily peeks over to the blonde walking to her left and knows instantly by the very much readable look on her face, that Naomi has recalled her past thoughts.

"Out with it then," she doesn't have to turn to Naomi to know that the blonde is astonished. She holds back a grin when, out of her peripheral vision, she sees Naomi tuck a loose stand behind her ear and clear her throat. Clearly uncomfortable with Emily's unusual perceptivity.

"I was just wondering about Katie,"

Emily tries to read the blonde once again, but deflates at the sight of a stone faced Campbell. The redhead reminds herself to not flaunt her abilities around Naomi, for it only makes the blonde hide even further behind her shield.

"What about Katie?"

"Nothing, just something Ava told me."

"If you were any more cryptic, I think you'd put Edgar Allen Poe to shame."

Naomi rolls her eyes and passes the cup from her left hand to her right. She tries to approach the topic gently.

"Ava heard something from Jonah about Katie,"

"You're making it sound like some rumour from primary," Emily's sudden excessive use of sarcasm doesn't go unnoticed by the blonde. Naomi glares at her; Emily making jokes isn't helping Naomi approach the subject of Katie's probable infertility. "Sorry, go on." Emily chuckles at Naomi's still very solemn expression.

Blue eyes return to look at their own feet.

"Does Katie have any children?" Naomi can feel Emily's brown eyes boring into the side of her face.

"No, why?" Naomi shoves her free hand into her pocket, finding only mediocre warmth.

"Just wondering. She was really good with the kids, especially Ava, and since she's a midwife I was wondering if maybe-"

"What did Ava hear from Jonah, Naomi?"

_It's like pulling teeth, _Emily thinks to herself.

Naomi once again switches the cup from one hand to the other, refusing to look Emily in the eye. They walk in silence for another ten steps, and the blonde knows that even outside of their sessions, Emily will not change the subject, nor push it until she receives an answer. Thankfully for Naomi, Emily didn't respond suspiciously about Katie not having children. _Then again_, Naomi thinks, _that could just be because she's around my age. Still pretty young to have children. _Somewhere inside her tall pale body, Naomi finds courage.

"Jonah had said something about Katie not being able to have them? Children, I mean."

Emily furrows her eyebrows in a non-accusing manner. "How'd he know?" Naomi simply shrugs. "Yeah, she can't." The redhead doesn't say this melancholy or ruefully. Instead, her tone was no more different than if she were stating a fact.

"I'm sorry…"

"Sorry?" Emily turns her head toward Naomi, "Sorry about what?"

Naomi looks at her as if she's gone mad. "The thing…about Katie not being able to have children."

Emily's snorting convinces Naomi even further that she's gone mad. "Don't let Katie hear you say that. She'll leave a permanent hand print on your face, and then come after me for telling you." Naomi looks straight ahead and nods, pretending to understand. But once again, Emily is too keen. "She doesn't want your pity. Or anyone else's for that matter. When she first found out, years ago, she thought she wanted it. But now that she's older, she gets sort of embarrassed when people feel bad for her."

Naomi is trying to find words to form her question, but she really only needs one.

"Why?"

"Why does she get embarrassed?" The blonde nods and they evade an elderly woman coming towards them on the side walk. Emily shrugs. "I've guessed a bunch of reasons but Katie will never tell me."

"What're your guesses?"

Emily purses her lips as she once again searches for words to tell Naomi something she has never really spoken aloud.

"Are you a perfectionist Naomi?" Catching the blonde off guard with the odd question, Emily chooses to rephrase the question. "Have you ever met a perfectionist?"

Naomi's mind immediately brings forth the image of a certain person.

"Yeah," she says looking off ahead of them, "yeah I have."

"Don't you think that person would be ashamed if they weren't perfect? If they suddenly found that there was something wrong with their perfect picture of life?"

"Very," Naomi says flatly.

"That's how Katie was when she first found out," Emily sighs, "mum and I were there for her but it still ate at her you know?" Naomi nods. "And mum wasn't much help, she's a perfectionist too and she was more upset than Katie was." Before Emily goes on, she back tracks and assess her current situation.

_Am I…venting to Naomi? _

She looks over to Naomi with a coy smile forming on her face, and sees that the blonde is oblivious to Emily's insight on their conversation. She shakes her head and continues.

"Eventually…she decided having other people feel bad for her was even worse."

"So she doesn't tell anyone about it?" Naomi offered.

"No…she doesn't keep it a secret. She just…doesn't flaunt it around like some shiny new toy. If people ask her about it, then she'll tell them. It's pretty funny actually, to see her be all blasé about it all. Ask her the same question four years ago and she would have beaten you to shit and then cried about it."

"So I can ask her about it…just not feel sorry for her?" Emily nods. "I bet she was fun to grow up with."

Naomi notices for the first time that the weather has Emily's nose, as well as her cheeks, turning a light scarlet. With her vibrant red hair to match, it's quite a sight to bear witness to. Especially when Emily's hand raises every now and again to rub her rosy nose.

"What?" Emily's question snaps the blonde back to reality. "Do I have something on my face?"

Naomi raises her eyebrows and her mouth opens and closes repeatedly.

"No, no. Your nose is just really red…as are your cheeks."

A sheepish Emily appears as she turns away from the blonde, and brings her shoulders up to hide to face in her coat.

"It happens when I get cold…" her muffled, raspy voice says.

Naomi uses her free hand to lightly slap the redhead's arm. "It happens to everyone, don't be a pussy,"

Emily lifts her face from her coat and shoots Naomi an accusatory look. "_You _are why Ava swears at such a young age."

"Me?" Naomi asks incredulously.

"Yes you! She said those exact words today to Jonah and the Doctor." Shaking her head, Naomi takes a left into the Hospital's entrance. "By the way Naomi," Emily says as they stride past the Hospital's colorful sign, "who's your perfectionist?"

Naomi squints and her nose wrinkles to display her confusion. "My perfectionist?"

"When I asked you if you'd met a perfectionist," Emily says shrugging off her coat, "you said you did know someone. Who is it?"

The hospital doors welcome slide open, welcoming the two girls back.

Naomi's face stiffens and she doesn't feel the heating unit of the Hospital, begin to thaw out her hands.

"My dad."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Before you throw tomatoes at me for abandonment for more than a month, I have an excuse. I got...a girlfriend GASP. Yeah and I'm so fucking happy all the time that it makes it kind of difficult to write this story that's kinda eerie and edgy? Yeah but I have a favor to ask. My lovely lady is also a writer on here and she started this bad ass story but...hasnt finished it. YOU AS MY LOYAL READERS ARE TO DO THIS: Her pen name is "AkayaWrites" and I want you to go in there, and review that story and tell her to update. GOGOGO. Ah, aren't I such a good girlfriend? Anyways. Review yadayada, I love you all yadayada, if you dont review I'll just let myself become victim to the endless bliss my girlfriend provides me and not update for months. **


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